Resolving conflict
- Talk together. Each person should have adequate time to say what he or she believes the other party needs to hear.
- Listen carefully to gain understanding. Give your complete attention to the person who is talking without interrupting.
- Resolution is possible only when you find points of agreement.
- Guide the conversation without taking sides.
Be quick to forgive. Every conflict needs a clear resolution that acknowledges hurt feelings and finds a solution that begins to mend them.
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
Don’t avoid conflict or pretend nothing has happened as it usually will only get worse.
- If you notice a conflict between employees, encourage them to work it out.
- If a conflict develops between two teams, improve interdepartmental communication.
- If you have a conflict with one of your employees, address it head-on and in private.
RELATED IDEAS
A way to view conflict not as a problem to be managed or resolved, but as an opportunity to strengthen the common life of any group.
If you disagree with a decision and want to preserve your reputation as a nice person, you can ask indirectly, pointing towards the impact of the teams' decision, instead of making a direct statement criticizing or finding fault.
An open-ended question will help add value and invoke discussion.
- Acknowledge the conflict and look at it objectively.
- Open up the lines of communication and approach the conflict in the spirit of collaboration.
- Focus on the problem, not the other person.
- Stick to the facts.
- Meet face to face. It’s difficult to truly address a conflict virtually.
- Pick your battles. There’s only so much we can do.
- Make a decision and act on it.