How to Manage Conflict in an Organization

As an employer, having conflict within your business can severely damage the productivity of the company, as morale plummets due to an unfriendly atmosphere. Conflict is, however, not uncommon; colleagues in an office each have their own personality, and occasionally these will clash. Knowing how to effectively manage occurrences of conflict within an organization is vital for ensuring a happy place of work and therefore minimize damage to productivity.

Things You'll Need

• Meeting room
• Diary
• Pen and paper

Instructions

Resolving Conflict as an Employee

1. 

   Always conduct yourself with professionalism.

   Begin all conflict resolution with an open mind, and conduct yourself with professionalism at all times.

2. 

   Begin by communicating with the other party.

   Engage in conversation with the other person involved in conflict with you in a private meeting room, or away from the office floor. Open and honest communication is the foundation for resolution. Fully understand their point of view, and carry out discussions in private so as not to affect your colleagues.

3. 

   The conflict may have arisen due to conduct.

   Break down their point of view into facts, and use these as the basis of resolving the issue. For example, it may be that the other person is upset about your attempts to 'take control' during meetings, or feel that you are treating another colleague inappropriately.

4. 

   Being aggressive will not be productive.

   Give your side of the story to the other person clearly and articulately, without raising your voice or using aggressive language.

5. 

   It takes integrity to apologize for mistakes.

   Apologize for any offense that you may have caused, and detail how you will resolve these issues in the future. This will often provoke a similar reaction in the other party. This does not mean that you have 'lost' the argument, or that you are taking the whole blame.

6. 

   Take notes and write action points during the meeting.

   Establish with the other person any rules that will avoid similar conflict in the future, such as attributing each meeting agenda item to a different person to avoid the majority of input being from one employee.

Resolving Conflict as a Manager

1. 

   Find a private room to conduct discussions.

   Arrange a private meeting with the parties involved. As a manager, your role should be impartial, acting only as a mediator. Siding with one party or another will serve only to exacerbate the situation. Instead, your function is to help the parties resolve their conflict.

2. 

   All parties should listen as well as talk.

   Listen fully to both sides of the story, and make it clear that you need this information to be able to help. Ask each party to detail their issues, and take notes.

3. 

   Avoid heated discussions during meetings.

   Keep both parties calm at all times--raised voices will lead only to heated arguments. Endeavor to keep both parties talking, to get as much information as possible.

4. 

   Ensure there is agreement between all parties.

   Identify the main issue or issues that underlies the conflict. Once this has been identified, mention it to both parties and see if they agree.

5. 

   Conclude the resolution with agreed action points.

   Write down the final points raised, including action points on how the issue will be resolved and steps taken to prevent the conflict from arising again.

Tips & Warnings

• Always have an open mind, and be prepared to listen to the other party with respect.

• Take the first step in resolving conflict. This will prove your integrity and commitment to a peaceful working environment.

• Avoid going straight to a manager to resolve conflict without speaking to the other party first. This will serve only to increase frustration and anger.

• Managers should beware of taking sides; if they have an emotional or private friendship with one of the parties, another manager should mediate in their place.

• Do not try to force an agreement on parties in conflict. Instead, promote communication and steer the conversation towards a resolution.

References

• Free Management Library
• National School Boards Association
• Impact Factory