BUS605: Strategic Project Management

When conflict is serious enough that it causes a rift within the workplace culture, the kind that pollutes the work atmosphere and threatens irreparable damage, a methodical, collaborative approach to conflict resolution can help lead to an amicable solution.

Let's examine the conflict management options.

Confront and Problem Solve: The most effective manner of resolving a conflict is to address it directly.  First, the true source of the conflict must be identified.  The confrontation in this approach is gentle and tactful no combative and abusive.  To ensure this strategy works, allow some time to pass between the conflict and problem-solving.  An important advantage of this option is its focus on the issue that caused the conflict and not on the personalities involved in the conflict.

Reframing:  Looking at a conflict from an alternative point of view helps to shed light on the causes of the conflict. Cognitive restructuring allows you to reframe the conflict and to gain insight into possible solutions. How you frame or choose your thoughts can determine the outcome of a conflict. Seeing the conflict from the other side allows you to also deal with the conflict in a positive way.

Appeal to Third Party: When there seems no path to a resolution, enlist the help of a third party with more power than you or the other parties in the conflict have.  In many cases, simply suggesting that a third party will be contacted will encourage all parties to find their own resolution.

Negotiation: Conflicts often involve negotiations.  Negotiations require that all parties are open to cooperating and to compromise.  Negotiation takes place frequently in the workplace.  The achieve the best negotiations: create a positive negotiating environment, practice active listening, be reasonable, focus on common ground, make a last and final offer, be tactful.

Conflicts are inevitable, but conflicts do not have to be dysfunctional.  Understanding your conflict management style and possessing some conflict resolution skills will make you more effective in the work environment.