Conflict arises in workplaces due to differences in various personalities, backgrounds, and workplace styles. Even under such circumstances, at any given moment, conflicts might arise, but the leadership of handling conflicts greatly affects team dynamics and productivity. The skill and practice of conflict resolution do relate to better conditions of the workplace and improved collaboration/innovation.
Let us explore the best practices in handling a successful conflict.
Understanding Conflict
Conflict involves miscommunication, competition for resources, or having different opinions. The American Management Association did a study and stated that approximately 85% of employees feel that they deal with conflict within the workplace. Conflict has risen so high that finding an appropriate solution is quite difficult.
Importance of Conflict Resolution
Ignoring conflict can lead to a poisonous work environment, low morale, and productivity. A study revealed that the failure to tackle the conflicts in organizations incurs up to $359 billion each year in lost productivity. This indicates that conflicts should be dealt with as quickly as possible to maintain a healthy working environment.
Development of a Nurturing Environment
One of the very initial stages of conflict resolution is the creation of an environment that brings out people’s concerns. This can be done through open communication by the leaders of an organization and creating an atmosphere of trust and then engaging employees in effective communication. Employees are more likely to bring out problems before they escalate when they feel safe to express their opinions without fear of backlash.
Active Listening
Active listening is one of the leadership skills when dealing with conflict issues. It requires full attention on the person’s speech rather than just waiting for the opportunity to place one’s point. This approach in showing interest in different opinions helps calm down the participant, and let him know that he is valued.
Find the Root Cause
To successfully resolve a conflict, the cause of the problem needs to be determined. In most cases, what appears to be the problem lies deeper down. A collision may indicate that an unmet need has occurred or that there was a communication failure. Leadership should ask questions that are open-ended enough to create conversation and reveal the basis of concern- the underlying reason. Although it solves the problem at the time, it also prevents future conflicts.
Encourage Collaboration
Once the root cause is identified, leaders should encourage collaboration between conflicting parties. Instead of imposing the solutions, asking the members of the team to brainstorm potential solutions fosters ownership and commitment to the outcome. In fact, collaborative problem-solving can often result in very innovative solutions that will be satisfying to all parties concerned.
Agreed Expectations
Clear expectations about behavior and communication in the team can significantly reduce conflicts. Leaders can spell out rules that will be taken to respect people. An example of what is being done in order to enforce policies against gossip and personal attacks could help to keep the workplace free of confrontation.
Mediation Techniques
Where the disputes become uncontrollable and unable to be solved through amicable discussions, then it requires mediation. Leaders can be neutral mediators to make the conflicting parties converse through them. This includes helping lead the discussions so that everyone has a say in their opinions. Further, it guides them how to arrive at an agreement.
Training and Development
Employee training in conflict resolution should be taken as an investment since they will help to arm the employees with these skills for them to solve disputes amicably and on their own. Some of the short courses may involve training in communication, emotional intelligence, and negotiation techniques that will arm team players with the skills of solving conflicts before going to a higher level.
Emotional Intelligence Thematic Focus
Conflict resolution is even highly dependent on emotional intelligence. With high emotional intelligence, leaders can better understand not only their emotions but also those of their subordinates. It enables them to be thoughtful rather than reactive in cases of conflict. Leaders, hence lead by example, thus making their followers feel the need to do so as well.
Follow-up
After resolving the conflict, leaders should ensure they keep track of the parties involved after the resolution. Checking up will show that one cares for the people and also dedicates their time to keeping up a good workplace environment. It will also be an opportunity to check if the resolution was effective or it requires another action.
Measuring Success
To measure conflict resolution strategies, leaders should find out the development of feedback mechanisms such as employee surveys or one-on-one check-ins. Knowing how team members understand that effort may enhance further improvement.
Conclusion
Conflict resolution is a vital leadership skill currently practiced in the multifaceted work environment. Leaders make a working environment for the friendly resolution of conflicts; they listen, collaborate, and train, thereby diffusing real situations of conflict within an organization. Approximately 70% of staff members say they would be more fulfilled at work if their workplace had better practices of conflict resolution, so it can be perceived that problems are beneficial to teams and general organizational performance.
In conclusion, effective conflict resolution requires commitment and skill from all leaders involved in the organization. Good practices and an open communication culture will always turn the potential conflicts into learning and collaborative opportunities. A proactive approach would resolve disputes, but at the same time, strengthens relationships among members toward an even more productive and smoother workplace environment.
