Conflict is an integral part of human nature. Bring two people together in a work environment, and conflict may soon start brewing between them.
This is because people can find fault in the words or actions of another or disagree with their opinions.
Conflict may be passive but persistent, or it may end up in shouting matches.
This means that you do not need to be part of a large organization to benefit from conflict resolution training since it only takes to two people for conflict to exist.
If this is the current situation at your workplace and you are considering conflict resolution training for your team, you should read more about the skills this training brings to the table and how conflict may be resolved.
What Are The Best Ways To Handle Conflict In A Small Company?
In general terms, it is expected that employees should be able to find a solution to their own conflicts.
However, sometimes there may be a need for someone in a position of authority to step in to try and help.
Also, conflict resolution training for the entire team may be a good option to avoid conflict in the future. Here are some useful skills for them to learn.
Assertive Communication
Through assertive communication, the speaker is expected to express their personal opinions and defend their rights while maintaining self-respect and not dominating or abusing others.
These skills require practice since communicating assertively does not come naturally to many people.
Collaboration
Collaboration between the parties in conflict allows them to consider the critical needs of the other party and be willing to develop a way to communicate a solution to those needs.
Problem-Solving
Through problem-solving, the parties engage in an exercise of finding alternative solutions to the problem they were originally trying to solve but were unsuccessful in doing so.
To find alternative methods to approach the problem it is necessary for the parties to understand the needs of the other party and the goals they are trying to achieve.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings and emotions of others. It also involves the ability to express and share their emotions and feelings.
When one party in the conflict is able to understand the perspective of the other, it can increase the possibility of creating a solid emotional connection, leading to useful collaboration.
Active Listening
Active listening differs from normal listening in that it requires the listener to actually pay attention to what is being said and to concentrate on the words that are being uttered instead of just waiting for a break in the flow of words to insert their opinions and points of view.
Conflict Avoidance Methods That Should Be Applied In the Office
There are certain behaviors and actions that may lead to less conflict between employees of a small business. These include the following:
Maintaining An “Open Door” Policy
This policy sends a clear message that management favors open dialogue and supports and encourages staff to openly discuss differences in the workplace.
This policy has been called the most effective first step toward conflict resolution.
Name Ombudspersons
By naming a neutral or impartial person who will provide confidential aid to management and staff, work-related disputes may be nipped in the bud before they become full-blown conflicts.
Peer Mediation
It is also possible for an organization to designate a particular employee to be an official mediator when conflict erupts.
This method will give those in conflict an immediate and identifiable outlet for their frustration and anger.
Professional Mediators
If there is no one who can assume the role of a mediator within the organization, an outside conflict resolution professional may be brought in.
This way, the affected parties will feel that they can talk openly with someone who is not involved in the issues that started the conflict and will listen to what they have to say in an unbiased manner.
Executive Panels
Some conflicts may prove to be so difficult to untangle that forming an executive panel to listen to the issues will give those involved an outlet to present their claims to people who will be sympathetic, not personally involved, and objective.
The panel may use tools like questionnaires or assessments to get to the root of what is causing the conflict.
Ella Marcotte
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