Conflict management in an organization

A conflict is a serious disagreement, a radical way to resolve a contradiction between people. According to the American Management Association, modern managers spend up to 24% of their time on this.

Pretending that conflict does not exist in an organization or prohibiting it is dangerous to productivity. There is a risk that then employees will hide differences in opinions, get used to acting secretly, and begin to engage in corporate games instead of solving their problems.

It will be more effective to accept that this phenomenon exists and learn to benefit from it, manage disagreements, and direct them in a productive direction. Finally, conflict can be used to increase motivation and stimulate employee interest.

Determine the stage of the conflict

Any conflict from its appearance to its extinction goes through four stages:

The emergence of a conflict.

At this point, employees begin to have a negative attitude towards something, usually some kind of management situation. The conflict arises implicitly, employees do not show their feelings, do not put forward demands - usually at this stage they are not formulated. The problem is manifested by unfriendly behavior.

Formation.

Employees are divided into several groups that differ in their different attitudes towards a certain management situation - so-called consolidation occurs depending on their desires, that is, everyone has a negative attitude towards the situation, and the requirements are different.

Peak of the conflict.

The parties go into open confrontation. The so-called enemy behavior model appears - when people try not to achieve something, but harm and prevent each other from achieving what they want.

Fading.

The conflict ends some time after the peak, when functional or even dysfunctional (non-productive) consequences occur.

The author of the article “Basics of Conflict Management in an Organization,” Anton Spatar, notes that if a manager can enter into a conflict at the initial stage, the problem will be resolved in 92% of cases. During the lifting phase, during the reaction of the other side - in 46% of cases. If you pay attention to the conflict at the moment of its peak, then it will no longer be possible to manage it.

You cannot wait for the peak of the conflict unless you have analyzed the situation and are confident of its favorable resolution. In other cases, the manager must either eliminate the cause of disagreement at the beginning of its appearance, or intervene at the moment of the reaction of the other party. Do not lead the situation to war between the parties.

What is conflict management and resolution?

The settlement and resolution of conflicts is usually understood as a system of measures aimed at preventing conflicts and finding optimal ways out of them. For many years, this problem has not received due attention either in the theory of social psychology or in its practice.

Only in recent years have communities of conflictologists and various organizations involved in applied conflictology begun to form, and thematic literature has also begun to be published. However, even now it is impossible to talk about the fact that there is any effective system in the field of conflict resolution.

We can even speak with confidence about the opposite state of affairs, because when resolving conflicts, a number of mistakes are often made.

Don't try to get involved in the conflict

Conflictology expert and author of the book “The Magic of Conflict” Thomas Cram believes that one of the key mistakes of participants in any conflict is to perceive disagreement as a kind of competition that needs to be won.

A popular managerial mistake is to try to immediately figure out which side is right and which is wrong. So you indirectly take someone’s side and begin to participate in this competition.

Instead, you should try to first extinguish the conflict itself. For example, convey to the participants that it is not necessary to perceive each other as enemies or as competitors. You can look for a compromise that will suit both sides.

Or the best option is to offer, together with the conflicting parties, to study the situation that led to the disagreement. And try to look at it more broadly, as if to find some kind of third opinion that contradicts the positions of both sides. It is unlikely that the conflict will be resolved as a result, but at the same time you will extinguish the intensity of passions in the team, direct the energy of the conflict participants in a productive direction, and at the same time you will not be involved in disagreements.

See also: How to Succeed in Business Communications

How to resolve the conflict?

First of all, you need to understand its type (we’ll talk about this below), the reasons (what all the fuss is about) and start correcting the situation.

There are three ways to resolve the conflict:

negative - the parties to the conflict are not inferior to each other, the conflict is getting worse. Further aggravation of relations is possible up to their rupture;
compromise - both sides make concessions and find a solution that satisfies them. The conflict ends;
constructive - the parties find a solution that leads to strengthening of relations.

It is clear that the third way is the most correct. In this case, conflict situations may no longer recur. In the first case, this is practically impossible - the parties to the conflict will fight to the death. And even the second method is not a panacea - a compromise may work one or several times, but in the future it ceases to satisfy both parties.

However, if the parties have a desire to resolve the conflict (and almost everyone has it, because few people like being in a state of war. The exception is toxic employees who truly enjoy quarrels and intrigues), then the chances of success are high. It is you, as a leader and experienced manager, who must take on the role of peacemaker. How to do this?

Learn to participate in conflicts

A manager is not always an arbiter or administrator in the conflicts of his subordinates; sometimes he has to act as an actor. To effectively participate in conflicts, learn to act according to a given algorithm and maintain composure. Use advice from the American Management Association:

Start by identifying the root cause of the conflict. It is important to understand that your subordinates may voice some complaints, but in reality worry about something else. Moreover, this will not necessarily be manipulation - sometimes people themselves, out of emotion, cannot figure out what outrages them.
Determine what is important to you in the conflict. If it's a dispute, consider the consequences of losing it. If there are complaints, think about what will happen if you respond to them. What happens if you simply ignore your opponent’s words? Questions like these, asked to yourself, will help you focus on the rational perception of information and remove emotions.
Find out why the other party is in conflict. What does he want to achieve through disagreement?
Assess the situation in which you are in conflict. What is happening now, do you have enough arguments for conversation? What state are you in: angry, calm, don’t you care? Maybe you should take a break because your opponent is too emotional?
Conduct the dialogue professionally. Avoid generalizations and statements like “always” and “never.”
Develop your conflict management strategy. Find out more about your opponent in terms of his personality and behavior. Think about how your dialogue should be structured. Make sure you are focused on action and not on emotions.
Formulate the desired outcome and possible compromises. Decide for yourself what you can tolerate and what you definitely disagree with.

Having worked out all the nuances, start a conversation and keep your emotions under control, analyze your opponent’s state and move towards your goal. A similar conflict management algorithm should be used in a situation where you act as a conflict moderator.

Conflict external to the organization.

From the point of view of the openness of conflict manifestations, conflicts can be open and hidden.

Open conflicts are characterized by the fact that the parties do not hide their confrontation and all employees of the organization are aware of the existing conflict. From the point of view of management and subsequent extinguishing, open conflicts are more preferable, but at the same time, due to their severity, they can be destructive and spread to other structural units of the organization.

Hidden conflicts make up the bulk of conflict interactions. These conflicts are not directly observable as rivals attempt to suppress or impose their will on the other by exploiting the elements of surprise or the unknown.

Causes of conflicts:

Resource shortage. This is the main cause of conflicts, since resources are limited even in the largest and most prosperous organization, and, consequently, employees fight for human resources, finances, materials, equipment, etc.;
Conservatism (the desire to maintain the status quo). Its main characteristic is the consolidation of the existing situation. From the point of view of functional conflicts, conservatism is resistance to change;
Unfulfilled expectations;
Task interdependence. In any organization, there is high interdependence among employees in terms of completing tasks. Employees do not work autonomously, so their effectiveness largely depends on successful collaboration with colleagues;
Differences in goals. As an organization develops and becomes structured, the potential for conflict increases as multiple departments set individual goals and direct their efforts toward achieving those goals rather than the goals of the entire organization;
Differences in ideas and values;
Differences in behavior and life experiences;
Poor communications. Poor communication of information can be not only a cause, but also a consequence of conflict.

Create a suitable environment for conflict resolution

It is better to deal with conflicts in a specially designated place. And not right away - let the participants cool down a little so that they evaluate what is happening not only with emotions.

Find a neutral place where you can meet with the parties involved. It is better if this is a personal meeting rather than communication via instant messengers and video conferences.
Set rules: Let people know how long the meeting will last, how it will be structured. Such restrictions will help the parties to the conflict communicate more productively and rationally, and not turn to emotions.
Before negotiations, try to talk with each participant in the conflict separately. Find out what rational and emotional reasons led to the disagreement.

Decide in advance what you want from the meeting as a moderator. For example, for the parties to come to a compromise, one of the parties to the conflict realizes he was wrong, or there is some other goal. To do this, prepare, collect information, and work out your behavior strategy.

Let's summarize

For any manager, employee conflict is a test of strength, a kind of exam. The boss should take a neutral position and, through negotiations, help employees come to a mutually beneficial solution. There are 5 main strategies for behavior in a conflict situation: conflict avoidance, concession, competition, cooperation and compromise. Compromise and cooperation are considered constructive ways out of conflict; they should be strived for in resolving controversial situations. But this does not mean that other strategies should be rejected. Taking into account all the circumstances of the conflict, weighing all the pros and cons, choose the optimal solution in a particular situation.

Separate from work conflicts is the phenomenon of bullying in a team - psychological pressure directed at a specific person. The manager must be aware of the problems of the team and prevent such phenomena.

Conflicts negatively affect work - tension increases, instead of working, employees find out who is right and who is wrong, orders are lost, profits fall. If the team is conflictual, staff turnover occurs, a lot of resources are spent on training new employees and getting them up to speed.

At the same time, some disputes can improve the company's performance. If there are conflicts regarding the division of responsibilities, this is a reason to refine business processes and draw up a clear algorithm for employee actions. If unfair wages cause negativity, you need to create a system of evaluation criteria, bonuses and fines. If disputes arise because workers are overworked, a time and attendance system can be installed to analyze the situation.

Often conflicts are a result of the growth of an organization; it is better to overcome them while the organization is small, so that when the business scales, these problems no longer interfere.

Get rid of the root causes of conflict

There are several common causes of conflict. Try to ensure that your organization has as few such factors as possible.

Low team spirit. The closer people in a team are to each other, the fewer interpersonal conflicts arise. And the more motivated employees are to work. Analyze the morale of the team, carry out activities to improve team spirit.
Loss of authority. It is important that you, as a leader, are respected. Keep your word and control your emotions. Develop soft skills that will help you better understand your subordinates. If the team is united around a respected leader, there will be fewer conflicts.
Low productivity, efficiency and motivation of employees. Conflicts are usually caused by people dissatisfied with their work - try to monitor the effectiveness of each employee and help subordinates analyze the results of their work. Give employees more feedback.
Missed deadlines and problems with projects. Constant stress leads to disagreements. One way to reduce pressure on your team is to be realistic about project deadlines and set them in excess.

Conflict management

There are several effective methods for managing conflict situations. They can be divided into two categories: structural and interpersonal.

The four structural methods for resolving conflict are clarifying job requirements, using coordination and integration mechanisms, setting organization-wide integrated goals, and using reward systems.

Coordination and integration mechanisms

One of the effective methods of conflict resolution is to establish a clear hierarchy in the company and use the principle of unity of command. This way, if two or more employees or departments have a disagreement, a common supervisor can clear it up.

Integration is the creation of intermediate services to coordinate the work of departments between which a conflict arises.

Reward system

Incentive or reward methods help avoid the dysfunctional consequences of conflict. Employees who take part in solving the organization's problems need to be rewarded financially, promoted, and ensure that such employees feel recognized for their merits by the company.

Clarification of job requirements

This method is considered one of the most effective in terms of preventing dysfunctional conflicts. Each employee should have a clear understanding of what results are expected from their work. He must also clearly understand the boundaries of his responsibility, his powers and the rules that he must follow in the course of his work. One of the main tasks of a manager is to communicate these points to his subordinates.

Don't look for someone to blame, look for a reason

Conflict moderators should focus not on finding someone to blame, but should go to a higher level - focus on finding out the causes of the conflict.

If you need to discuss the mistake of a specific person, then this can be done without accusations. For example, talk about the process during which the error occurred - find out whether the person had all the necessary information, which prevented him from doing everything correctly right away. Maybe the cause of the error lies in external factors?

After the discussion, you can ask the parties to the conflict what needs to be done to avoid mistakes in the future? And what needs to be done to avoid conflict?

Personal methods

This group focuses on the leader’s ability to actively resist conflict, meaning the following:

The use of power, rewards and punishment directly in relation to the participants in the conflict;
Changing the conflict motivation of employees by influencing their needs and interests using administrative methods;
Convincing the parties to the conflict;
Changing the composition of participants in the conflict and the system of their interaction by moving people within the organization, dismissal or encouraging voluntary departure;
A leader’s entry into a conflict as an expert or arbiter and the search for agreement through joint negotiations.