In my workshops,training sessions and coaching on communication, emotional intelligence, people skills and team building, I find that one of the key factors that gets in the way of companies and organizations being positive, productive and profitable involves how they deal with conflict. In this article, we will explore why conflicts start and how to deal with them.
Conflicts start because of misjudgments, misinformation and misunderstandings. If you understand how a conflict starts, you will be well on your way to resolving it.
Here are 5 other areas you must consider to effectively deal with the conflicts you face
1. Conflicts are a normal and healthy part of life. Since they will occur, what is most important is how we understand, resolve and learn from them.
2. Some conflicts can be avoided entirely or kept from escalating. The more we understand our own style and attitudes about conflict and their causes, the fewer the occasions when conflicts may occur.
3. Some conflicts are minor and should be resolved about the critical ones. Remember the adage, “choose your battles wisely.”
4. There does not have to be a loser in a conflict. Our goal is to have a win-win outcome. If someone wins and someone loses, everyone loses. There are techniques that can be used to work through a conflict so that everyone is a winner.
5. We can and must learn from our conflicts. If conflicts are going to happen whether or not they are beyond our control, then we might as well learn from each one and apply that knowledge in the future.
