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What Causes Interpersonal Conflict
- Frustration and stress
- Misunderstandings
- Lack of planning
- Bad staff selection
- Poor Communication
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
When it happens in the workplace, it can reduce productivity and make a dent in morale.
It takes on the shape that one person, or a group of people, frustrates or hampers another person or group's efforts at achieving a goal. This isn’t always done on purpose.
- Policy Conflicts: disagreements about how to deal with a situation that affects both parties.
- Value Conflicts: they are typically pretty difficult to resolve because they are more ingrained.
- Ego Conflicts: losing an argument, or being thought of as wrong, can actually damage a person’s self-esteem. This is like a power struggle.
- 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.
RELATED IDEAS
Conflict in the workplace is unavoidable. While you can try and avoid conflict (bad idea), you cannot escape conflict.
The ability to recognize conflict, understand the nature of conflict, and to be able to bring swift and just resolution to conflict will serve you well as a leader.
- Work style differences - Some people work quickly, while others like the rush of waiting till the deadline is looming.
- Background differences – gender, ethnicity, social economic status, political views, and religious backgrounds can cause people to view situations with different perspectives.
- Attitude differences – cynicism, arrogance, and irritability all contribute to an attitude of negativity.
- Competitive versus cooperative differences.
- It helps to create effective brand messaging. It determines how your brand is perceived and also builds trust with customers.
- Customer service relies on good communication. "60% of consumers have stopped doing business with a brand due to a poor customer service experience." Microsoft’s 2016 Global State of Customer Service Report.
- It enables positive team relationships. Effective communication helps to unite teams and create a safe environment to express themselves.
It helps to prevent misunderstandings and conflicts. It can help to defuse a potentially explosive dispute while bad communication can set it off.