Conflict Resolution is First Mindset And so Skill Prepare

Saeed Mirfattah, Thou.A., CPCC

Saeed Mirfattah, M.A., CPCC

Chief of Staff | Executive Bus | Organizational Development Strategist | Social Touch on Leader

Published Dec 12, 2017

"We must not seek happiness in peace, but in conflict." ~ Paul Claudel

Competition in our lodge is presented as the norm. In our recent political environs, competition and conflict has even been used to divide united states.

Only our species really relies more heavily on cooperation for survival and self-preservation.

Take you lot ever watched 2 children engaged in conflict over a toy? So yous may take observed them highly-seasoned to fairness and striving towards resolution and negotiation rather than stoking the fires of conflict.

If yous've followed my writing for any time, you will know that I like to talk about the unity of mindset and mechanism.

When nosotros humans witness pain and grief, nosotros become sad ourselves; when we are in the company of someone positive, it brightens our 24-hour interval. These are neurological mechanisms that develop empathy for others, which builds trust, a prerequisite for cooperation.

New studies accept plant that in fact cooperation, not competition, is the normative mindset in nature. This is because it is more than free energy-efficient and because predators and their prey actually strive to maintain a kind of counterbalanced coexistence. Nature'southward bias is towards harmony and balance, not devastation and chaos.

Only disharmonize is inevitable. No relationship is immune. It is a normal, and even healthy, part of relationships.

But when handled in an unhealthy manner, it can cause irreparable damage. In a piece of work context, it can be disastrous.

To manage conflict finer, outset, we take to ascertain it.

What Is Conflict?

Conflict is a disagreement over issues of substance and/or an emotional antagonism. Conflict arises from differences in values, motivations, perceptions, ideas, or desires. Managers and leaders spend a lot of time dealing with conflicts of various forms. In a piece of work context, at that place are two basic forms of disharmonize:

  • Substantive Conflict – This involves disagreements over goals, resources, rewards, policies, procedures, and job assignments.
  • Emotional Conflict – This results from feelings of anger, distrust, dislike, fright, and resentment every bit well equally from personality clashes.

Not all conflicts that arise are bad, merely not are always good either.

What Causes Conflict?

  • Role Ambiguities – unclear job expectations and other task uncertainties increment the probability that some people will be working at cantankerous purposes, at least some of the fourth dimension.
  • Resource Scarcities – having to share resources with others and/or compete directly with them for resource allocations creates a potential situation conflict. You tin can imagine how in society, politicians exploit resources scarcities.
  • Task Dependencies – when individual or groups must depend on what others do to perform well themselves, conflicts often occur.
  • Competing Objectives – when objectives are poorly gear up or reward systems are poorly designed, individuals and groups may come into conflict past working to one another's disadvantage.
  • Structural Differentiation – differences in organization structures and in the characteristics of the people staffing them may foster conflict because of incompatible approaches toward work.
  • Unresolved Prior Conflicts – unless a conflict is fully resolved, it may remain latent and later emerge every bit a footing for future conflicts over the same or related matters

Conflict Resolution Strategies for Leaders (Using Your IQ)

In workplace conflicts, differing needs are often at the heart of biting disputes. When you tin recognize the legitimacy of conflicting needs and become willing to examine them in the context of the larger surroundings, you lot tin begin to solve conflicts strategically.  Every bit an organizational leader, you lot tin can use various approaches to deal with conflicts between individuals or groups. These may include:

  • Appeal to Goals – You can focus the attention on one mutually desirable terminate country; i.e., shared goals. The appeal to higher-level shared goals offers all parties a common frame or reference against which to clarify differences and reconcile disagreements.
  • Alter the People – Replacing or transferring 1 or more of the conflicting parties, conflicts caused by poor interpersonal relationships tin can be eliminated.
  • Change the Environment – Facilities, work infinite, or workflows can be rearranged to carve up alien parties and reduce the opportunity for disharmonize to exist betwixt the parties.
  • Change the Structure – Using liaison personnel, special chore forces, cantankerous-functional teams, and the matrix form of organizational management, tin can alter interaction patterns and assist in disharmonize reduction.
  • Change Reward Systems – Creating systems that reward co-operation can encourage behaviors and attitudes and promote teamwork and reduce conflict.
  • Alter Policies and Procedures – A modify in policies and procedures can redirect behavior in ways that minimize the likelihood of known conflict-prone situations.
  • Train People – As a proactive measure, you can prepare people to communicate and work more effectively in situations where conflict is likely by training them in interpersonal skills.
  • Throw Resources at the Problem – You tin can use this strategy to resolve conflicts whose antecedents lie in the competition for scarce resources. Although it might be expensive, it removes all reasons for conflicts in the hereafter.

Conflict Resolution Strategies for Individuals (Using Your EQ)

The ability to resolve conflicts positively is a key emotional intelligence skill. Conflict resolution is both mindset and skill set. Attitude towards the conflict and towards the human relationship is a key mindset component while listening is a central skill set up component. When y'all enter a conflict with a positive attitude and when you heed for where the hurting points are for the other person, y'all are a quarter of the style towards resolving the disharmonize.

  • Self Awareness - As with most things, success in disharmonize resolution starts with self sensation. If y'all don't know how you feel or why y'all feel that way, you won't exist able to communicate effectively or smooth over disagreements. If yous are out of touch with your feelings or and so stressed that you can but pay attending to a express number of emotions, you lot won't be able to understand your own needs. Your ability to handle conflict depends on existence connected to your feelings and your values.
  • Social Sensation - The almost important information exchanged during conflicts and arguments is often communicated nonverbally. You can avoid many confrontations and resolve arguments and disagreements through effective communication. When people are upset, the words they use rarely convey the issues and needs at the centre of the problem.  Listen carefully for what may be behind the words. Clarify. Restate. Reflect. Validate. Use empathy to develop your awareness of others.
  • Self-Management – One of the key components of disharmonize management is the ability to self-regulate. The chapters to remain relaxed and focused in tense situations is a vital aspect of disharmonize resolution. Endeavour not to overreact to difficult situations. By remaining calm it will be more likely that others volition consider your viewpoint.
  • Relationship Management - During conflict it's easy to forget about the other person or to condone the importance of the relationship. Rupture in relationships is to exist expected. Just when in that location is rupture, there should also be an try to repair. Sometimes the best mode to fix conflict is to repent. This requires putting others before yourself. Know when to let something go. If you can't come to an understanding, agree to disagree. Information technology takes 2 people to go on an argument going. If a conflict is going nowhere, you can cull to undo and move on.

 A Final Word...

To be truly effective at conflict resolution, you lot have to brand the relationship your priority. Maintaining and strengthening the relationship, rather than "winning" the argument, should always be your first priority. Focus on the present. Listen. Pick your battles. Conflicts can be draining, so it'southward important to consider whether the upshot is really worthy of your time and free energy. Exist willing to forgive. Resolving conflict is impossible if you're unwilling or unable to forgive. Resolution lies in releasing the urge to punish, which tin can never recoup for your losses and only adds to your injury past further depleting and draining you lot of vital resources. It may mean that you lose the argument. It may hateful that you give up being right. It may also mean that you end up a happier homo being.

Don't fight information technology. Just trust me.

Adept luck.

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Best,

Saeed

©2017— All Content by Saeed H. Mirfattah, One thousand.A.

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