How to improve and use your conflict-resolution skills in the workplace

Conflict is an inevitable part of any relationship, both in your personal life and at work. Given this certainty, being able to assess and resolve conflicts can be a valuable talent. While all conflicts are different, resolving them generally requires a similar set of skills. Working on these skills can help improve workplace atmosphere and transparency, while also potentially creating stronger professional relationships with your colleagues. This article can help you get a better understanding of what conflict resolution is and how it can benefit everyone.

What is conflict resolution?

Conflict resolution is the ability to settle a disagreement as quickly and efficiently as possible. This often involves understanding both parties' points of view, acknowledging their opinions, and coming up with a solution that they both agree on. Depending on the situation, you may be either a neutral party in a conflict between two or more co-workers or more directly involved. Regardless of where you stand, the ability to find common ground and move on can be useful for you and your organization.

What are some essential conflict-resolution skills?

These are some examples of conflict-resolution skills that can help you sort out workplace disagreements in ways that benefit everyone involved:

Communication

Effective communication skills are essential for any type of interaction, including the attempt to resolve a conflict. The first step is always to understand each party's point of view, and this means that you need to actively listen to them. Regardless of your initial reaction, listen to what everyone has to say and try to see things from their perspective.

Since the goal is a mutually acceptable solution, keeping an open mind is essential. If you don't understand something, ask open-ended questions. This will not only help you better understand the whole situation but also let everyone involved know that you've been listening and are genuinely interested in their viewpoints. If you're directly involved in the conflict, those on the opposite side may be more willing to find common ground if they notice that you are truly interested in what they think.

Problem-solving

Problem-solving skills can help you understand the issue and come up with an effective solution. This often involves analyzing all relevant facts and then using your knowledge and creativity to resolve the issue. The first thing to remember in a conflict situation is that solving the problem doesn't usually involve "winning" the argument. Seeing things this way requires a problem-solving mindset, where your goal from the very beginning is to find a mutually beneficial solution. Some essential problem-solving skills include:

Active listening: Understanding the issue
Analysis: Analyzing the available information
Creativity: Using the information you have to come up with a mutually acceptable solution
Communication: Being persuasive in letting everyone know your proposed resolution

Calmness

Even in a workplace situation, it can be difficult not to get personal and emotional during a conflict. Emotions may get the better of you in the heat of the moment, even if you're not directly involved. This is why the ability to remain calm and rational is a major conflict-resolution skill. The first thing to check in these situations is your tone of voice. Speaking slowly and softly can have a calming effect on the people involved in the conflict, whereas using a loud and angry tone can have the opposite effect.

Since you can't always control your initial emotions, the best thing you can do in such a tense situation is to wait and let them pass. Focus on your breathing. Breathe gently through your nose and try to keep a steady rhythm even if you feel your heart racing. Once the initial moment passes, you can reflect on what just happened, and you'll be in a much better position to start working on a resolution.

Teamwork

Resolving a conflict is often a group effort among everyone involved. Getting people to work together, set aside their immediate differences, and focus on finding common ground requires strong teamwork skills. Improving your teamwork skills and effectively using them in a conflict-resolution situation is achievable with the right mindset.

You must be willing to listen to what everyone has to say, focus on finding a solution that benefits everyone, and avoid letting personal feelings get in the way. Then, you can try to convince everyone to see each other not as adversaries but rather as team members, with the common goal of finding a resolution. Stay positive throughout the interaction, gather feedback from everyone, and work toward reaching a compromise.

"While all conflicts are different, resolving them generally requires a similar set of skills. Working on these skills can help improve workplace atmosphere and transparency, while also potentially creating stronger professional relationships with your colleagues."

How to use your skills to approach and manage a conflict

Having the skills to resolve a conflict is essential, but having the right approach is also important. Consider these strategies when resolving a workplace conflict:

Approach the situation head-on

While it may sometimes be tempting to avoid the conflict altogether, this is likely to make it grow even further. If you're a team leader and your team members are involved in a conflict, ignoring it may affect their confidence in your leadership abilities. Whenever a conflict occurs, be as proactive as you can and start working on a resolution as early as possible.

Get to the root of the issue

The exact cause of the conflict may not be obvious from the beginning. Try to get first-hand information as quickly as you can, as this can help you focus on the real issue. Identify the people directly involved in the conflict, and try to learn as much as you can about their point of view. This is where your communication and problem-solving skills come into play. If you're directly involved in the conflict, do your best to put your personal feelings aside and try to understand the other party's viewpoint.

Get the people involved to communicate with each other

If you're a neutral party trying to resolve a conflict, it may be a good idea to listen to what everyone has to say separately. However, at some point during the situation, you have to get them in the same room and help them air out their differences. Conflicts often get bigger than they should be because the people involved avoid direct communication and instead assume the worst regarding the opposite side's intentions. You can prevent that by getting them to speak directly with each other.

If you're directly involved, reach out, listen to the other party, and explain your own viewpoint. Be open to compromising and working together to find a resolution to the issue.

If you're trying to mediate a conflict that you're not a direct part of, you should bring the people together and have them describe the situation from their separate positions. Stay as calm and positive as possible, and encourage them to work on finding common ground. Use your teamwork skills to get them to work together toward resolving their issue in a mutually acceptable way.

Follow up on the situation

While finding common ground is essential, it's also important to monitor the situation and make sure that both parties are happy with the outcome. If you're one of the involved parties, be proactive and reach out to the other party to see if they're satisfied with what you agreed on. If you're the mediator, invite everyone involved for a quick meeting, and ask them how they feel about the outcome.

Regardless of whether you're directly involved in a conflict, having the right skills can help you resolve it as quickly and amicably as possible. Doing so can prove to be a valuable trait for employers. It may even turn out to be a good opportunity for colleagues to understand each other's viewpoints and find common goals.