What do we actually mean by conflict? It can range from a difference of opinion right up to a world-war (and everything in between, of course).

Conflict is the end result of a disagreement between two parties. One party things/feels one thing or takes one position, the other sees it from a different perspective.

So what can you do when faced with this situation that might end up with conflict occurring and how can you approach it so it doesn’t get out of hand?

When in confrontation with a person you may be finding difficult to get along with, ask yourself four questions:

#1 How is my personal belief system creating a picture of the situation?

#4 What information can I give that will help them clarify their understanding of my version of the truth (my belief system)?

Now, asking these questions will help you see things from a different perspective, identifying first of all what you are personally gaining from holding your particular point of view.

Then, by putting yourself in the other person’s shoes, you identify their perspective, and the quality questions you ask will help you achieve this goal.

By explaining your view to the other person so they can see your view, both of you are now in a position to look for solutions, rather than digging in to you own positions, unwilling to compromise or collaborate with the other.

Following these questions will clarify the disagreement before they become matters of conflict and help you both focus on finding answers because of understanding each others’ views.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

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Personal differences in the workplace often cause conflict to occur because people have their own viewpoints, attitudes and characteristics that determine how things should be. The more concrete these views, the more likely people are to be entrenched in them, simply because they feel that a different view may affect their self-worth or self-concept.

People decide to either accept differences in some ways or stand their ground. And it’s this stubbornness that can sometimes cause the conflict we often see in the workplace.

How can you manage the situation, and help the parties identify a way of dealing with it?

You might try the concept of ‘perspective change’ that allows both to see things from a different angle and hence achieve a better understanding of what a solution looks like.

For example, if someone has a fixed view and you want to see the bigger picture, questions like ‘what’s your intention behind this?’ or ‘what are you trying to achieve with this?’ will help the individual shift upwards in their perception, and give you a bigger picture of the rationale they are using to back up their viewpoint.

If both people answer the question, you may get closer to achieving a similar goal. You can ask the question again to achieve a bigger picture, and you may get to the point where both are looking for the same result or goal.

Now, if you hear they are being too generic in their descriptions of what is wrong, you may ask them to be more detailed by asking ‘how specifically does this affect you?’ or ‘how does this impact you?’

This gives you the opportunity to see precisely how they view the situation, and how it could be dealt with.

By achieving a different perspective from each of the people involved, you get them to see it from a position they probably hadn’t appreciated before, and maybe will be driven to a better and more agreeable response.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

It is important to make sure your team is getting along as well as possible in order to ensure your projects are completed on time. Unfortunately, there will be times when certain members of your team seem to bang heads with each other, and it will be your job to identify the reasons and attempt to find a solution before your entire project goes up in flames!

As a manager, it will be your responsibility to recognize conflict and nip it in the bud. Being able to identify the various types of conflict will require continuous improvement on your part. There are a handful of reasons your employees or team members may be in conflict with each other.

Individuals have different objectives. A successful team has to have a clear objective so that everyone is working towards the same goal. Two different people working towards two different goals will have difficulty communicating with each other, as they’ll each believe themselves to be right.

There is an unhealthy level of competition. Competition can be a wonderful motivator, but not if the team members in competition are taking themselves too seriously, find themselves arguing over information, and suddenly become unproductive. Competition occurs on the corporate level as well, with different departments vying for resources as they become available.

Their roles are not clearly defined. When you first start a new project, it’s important to make sure each member of the team understands his or her tasks and how they will contribute to the overall outcome. If these roles are not clearly identified, individuals will start to feel as though other members of the team aren’t pulling their weight, or they might perceive their teammates as being overly critical of the tasks they do perform.

The workflow has been disrupted. Sometimes one part of a project can not be completed without another part being finished first. If the group completing the first tasks is late, or turns in shoddy work, the second group will be further delayed. This will almost always lead to resentment and a disgruntled, uncomfortable workplace.

There was a breakdown in communication. Sometimes pieces of information are relayed incorrectly in error. In some cases, an employee may withhold a piece of information to purposely sabotage another. Regardless, communication errors are a major cause of conflict in the workplace. It’s important to make sure all information is relayed as efficiently and effectively as possible so that no one person relies on another for critical data.

These are just a few of the reasons for conflict in the workplace, but they’re also some of the main causes. Over the coming days we’ll take a closer look at conflict it and how to both manage and resolve it. In the meantime, what are some of the major causes of conflict in your particular environment?

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Training

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”