Ever had fights, arguments, or disagreements with your team leader, team member, or other workplace colleagues?
Of course, each of us would have come across an instance where there would have been a conflict in the workplace, however small or big. We could have also been the ones who were spectators or witnesses of a conflict second-hand.
What is Conflict Resolution in the business and workplace environment? It is the process involving the various steps and strategies used in resolving the issues and conflicts arising between the involved parties, to solve and reach a mutually compromising common ground and deal.
Therefore in this article, we will discuss the Importance, Benefits, and various Leadership Skills required in Conflict Resolution, as well as the Conflict Resolution Strategies used.
What is Conflict Resolution?
Conflict Resolution is a process and method used to resolve conflicts between the involved parties, to reach a mutually compromising common ground. Although having disagreements can have a good impact as it can help in learning one’s thoughts, ideas, feelings, and contributions about something in particular.
It can also have adverse impacts in giving space to forming divisions between the colleagues which would throw off the team’s dynamics.
Importance and Benefits of A Good Conflict Resolution:
The importance of conflict resolution in the workplace is for leaders to create and establish a place that is safe, healthy, agreeable, cohesive, strong, dynamic, and productive, together as a team.
Importance – the importance of conflict resolution is integral and forms the cohesiveness of the team. To develop and maintain smooth productivity and performance by all the team members, quick and immediate actions must be taken as it is very necessary in resolving conflict.
Conflict Resolution also reduces the chances of divisions occurring in the workplace and in between the team members which can throw off the entire dynamics of the team. Establishing a healthy place to voice out opinions will further lower the need for conflicts.
A cohesive team is a strong team that works together, to achieve and accomplish the common purposes and goals of the organization.
Communication is also a very essential aspect of conflict resolution. Knowing and having the skills to communicate and provide solutions can be a leader’s quality factor.
Benefits – the benefits of resolving conflicts in the workplace environment can be beneficial in helping the leader as well as the team members in several ways.
Developing good conflict resolution skills can help in learning when and how to approach an issue or problem of diverse depth so that good and positive intelligence, experiences, unbiased nature, respectful mediation, and opinions can be formed.
A cohesive, tight-knit, dynamic team can be encouraged and established where the levels and performance rates as well as productivity are increased.
A motivated and inspired team can work more effectively and efficiently if all of them are on the same level and plane.
Leadership Skills Required in Resolving Conflicts:
Leaders and mediators who intercede and approach intending to resolve any conflict must first understand and be aware of the kinds, and different strategies that can be used for each type of conflict in any situation which occurs at any time.
These leadership skills and qualities can be built into a person’s personality and character, or can just be qualified enough to approach and act as a mediator. They can also learn conflict resolution skills through past experiences of being in similar situations.
Some of the essential skills that a leader and mediator would need for effective conflict management strategies are as follows.
Approaching the parties with kindness, respect, and empathy can be the first strategy used in confronting the situation. Listening actively and hearing the perspectives of all the involved and important can provide the leader with context and understanding of the root causes of the conflict.
Being fair throughout, positive, calm, patient, trustworthy, unbiased, just, open-minded, emotionally intelligent, smart, and humble are all the innate qualities needed.
An effective mediator and leader would strategize efficiently in resolving conflicts as trained and as surely experienced past situations beforehand by using conflict resolution skills efficiently.
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What are the Conflict Resolution Strategies Used?
The steps and processes of conflict resolution in organizations and businesses are mentioned as follows.
Identifying – the first step is where the leaders and mediators approach the parties involved and interfere to mediate and learn about the conflict that has occurred.
Acknowledging – listening about the issue and conflict from all the perspectives of the involved parties helps in better understanding and acknowledging why the issue and conflict arose in the first place.
Managing and Handling – the strategies and the way that the strategies are used are very important in managing and handling the situation and conflict. As mediators and leaders, approaching and treating the situation and circumstance as kind, objective, unbiased, empathizing, and gentle as possible would be highly appreciated and well reciprocated.
Compromising – being able to successfully and smartly come to a common ground where the involved parties can be brought to a compromising deal where all are happy and appreciative would work wonders in dissipating or resolving the conflict completely.
Resolving – it is the final agreement achieved and accomplished in resolving the conflict in reaching a resolve, solution, deal, or compromise.
To Conclude:
As much as having queries, issues, disagreements, and arguments in the workplace, forming and establishing a healthy and safe space to resolve them effectively and efficiently is very important. A good team leader and a mediator of conflict resolution must have the various skills, knowledge, ability, and awareness to approach, handle, strategize, and manage any type of conflict in the workplace environment.