Since conflicts are inevitable, running away from them won’t work. Instead, the wise way to deal with them is to resolve them rationally. Wondering what steps should you follow to resolve a conflict?
Have a look at the following eight practical conflict resolution steps and apply them to de-conflict your work environment:
1.Identify the source of the conflict
You can’t reach a solution without knowing what the matter is and how it all started. That said, the first step is to identify and clarify the root cause of the conflict before answering how to solve the conflict. Dive deeper into the heart of the conflict and get as much information as you can to understand each side’s point of view. Keep enquiring from both parties what’s bothering them until you are convinced that all the conflicting parties involved understand the problem.
However, some conflicts go out of control, forcing employees to leave their jobs and start looking for a better opportunity. If you are one of them and can’t decide how to describe the purpose of leaving in your resume, get professional help from Resume That Works. They will advise you how you can explain your decision tactfully while pointing out that you did your best to resolve the conflict.
2.Allow each party to participate and give ear to everyone
After identifying the source, now the question is, what is the second step of effective communication? It is all about airing out the feelings and expressing them thoroughly. So, give a chance to each party to express their concerns. Sometimes, things are not always the way as they seem. Other people may see the situation in an entirely different way than you do. So, be open to everyone’s explanations and show your interest in understanding the conflicted situation. Encourage them to be as candid as possible rather than bottling up their feelings, which will only result in further complications. Use a compassionate and polite tone while asking them questions about the conflict at hand. Listen actively and be calm throughout the process. Don’t make any decision in the thick of the action. Avoid favoritism and lend a sympathetic ear to everyone. Furthermore, if your peers are college-goers and find it hard to handle conflicts while managing their studies, suggest them to visit essaywritingservice.ca. Your advice might come in handy, and they will be able to focus more on their job duties and address conflicts rather coolly.
3.Pick a private place to talk
Don’t go public if you seriously want to reach an agreement. Who likes to get embarrassed or feel insulted in front of everyone, after all? Besides, when more parties than the concerned ones are present, it gets pretty hard to pay heed to every argument. Subsequently, you may want to ask, “What is an approach to solving problems peacefully.” The key is to choose a private place to talk so that each party can vent out their disagreements. Private discussions allow members to speak openly and honestly about their problems. In essence, everyone appreciates privacy.
4.Investigate the case
Now you have everyone’s explanations at your disposal. The fourth step to establish effective conflict management processes is to investigate the situation appropriately. Being prejudiced and reaching a conclusion without a thorough investigation can do a number on your colleagues’ trust level. Find out what exactly happened, bring both parties facing each other, and get their consent on what the issue is. After you have examined the confrontations, choose your battles wisely. That means don’t try to fight out every bit of problem. Focus on the critical matters firstly that require your immediate attention and action, then move towards the rest.
5.Discover ways to meet the common goal
Resolving the issue via mutual understanding is what the conflict processes are all about. So, here comes the next step that is to determine the right ways to meet the common objective. To do so, get some low-down about the stages of the conflict, which include the latent stage (when no one is aware of conflict), perceived stage (when awareness kicks in), felt stage (when parties are anxious and stressed), manifesting stage (when conflict is disclosed to everyone), and aftermath (when the outcome of conflict can be achieved). When you have obtained every information regarding the conflict, sit down with the concerned parties, and discuss the common ways as to how you can achieve the common goal of resolving the conflict mutually. Share ideas, evaluate every option and rack your brains to reach the right decision. Be confident that you can solve every problem via such a deliberate and effective process.
6.Agree on the best solution
You can facilitate the conflict management process by going over the LEAPS model of communication, aiming to foster positive communication. Listen and communicate professionally, Emphasize with the conflicted party, Ask questions and agree with the good opinions, Paraphrase the facts and main points into own words, and Summaries everything to obtain the outcome. Now, weigh up all the options and pick out the best and optimal solution. Don’t make decisions on a whim. Here again, involve the parties to know which solution they find the best and can benefit from. Define the responsibilities to each party and discuss how they can contribute to resolving the issue. Try to find common ground. Make sure the same conflict will not resurface again.
7.Assess how things are going
According to writers from EssayKitchen, the process doesn’t end at reaching the solution. However, you also need to evaluate the effectiveness of your chosen solution. It can be done by keeping a vigilant eye on how things are going on. Further, monitor the performance of your employees. Check out whether they are following the decided terms and working together to meet the corporate goals.
8.Develop preventative strategies for the future
One last step to resolve and limit conflicts is to design preventive strategies for the future. If a similar conflict comes about again at the workplace, such strategies can make you well-prepared to tackle it. Keep asking yourself the question; what is the basic conflict in everyday use, so you can foresee and keep an eye on the potential issues by working proactively in the organization.
Disagreeing with someone is not a crime. What’s wrong is avoiding conflicts outright or adding fuel to the fire. The sooner you identify and resolve your conflicts, the better. Remember, conflicts are temporary and can be resolved through the steps mentioned above. So, don’t let them damage your friendships, business deals, and relations with your colleagues.
