Digital Library: Conflict management

Conflict management

Conflict is part of life, but understanding how to handle conflict can make all the difference between strained or thriving relationships.

Conflict management plays a key role in preventing conflicts between people.

How does a conflict appear? When people strongly oppose each other's opinions and ideas, the likelihood of a conflict arises.

A conflict begins when people think in different ways and have great difficulty accepting each other's ideas. Conflict should be avoided because it destroys peace, lowers productivity, and even demotivates people.

A conflict is not very easy to control; a person needs certain skills to control it.

The key conflict management skills are such as effective communication, listening, discussion, patience, impartiality, never criticize, and positive attitude, among others.

Confident conflict management skills will give empowerment to team building. Being able to   handle conflict effectively, whatever the situation, is an ability that will   help to build a strong, constructive working relationships and improve the   overall performance of your team, group or department.

How to manage conflicts:

1. Understand the conflict in concrete. Analyze everyone’s position in the conflict and what are the possible resolutions;
2. Deal with the discomfort. It is difficult to have conversations when conflicts are on, conflicts can be challenging.
3. Listen all sides. It is very important that all parties can express themselves properly.
4. Express yourself honestly. It’s usually good to express your emotions directly, when in a conflict situation and might be angry, fearful or frustrated.
5. React positively. In addition to actively listening to the other person, do not react to the other person getting emotional.
6. Always be kind and calm. Whatever the problem, using foul language or being mean can be harmful to the situation. Be emphatic.
7. Find a good solution with the necessary time to do it. It is common during a conflict resolution that solutions are often made “on” the problem. It is very important to get to “the heart of the conflict” first, then, find a solution.
8. Open discussion. Get an idea how to start dealing with the problem just by starting a conversation, with no solution ready
9. Identify needs. See the causes of the conflicts and identify the needs of the involved parties.

Significance in Times of Crisis (e.g. pandemic)

Crisis is an extreme form of change and Conflict management is fundamental – address the situations that might generates conflict or even real conflicts – to immediate solving them. Management involves guiding people to the best possible outcome. Conflict management skills in time of crisis is being able to effectively communicate with others in order to avoid conflicts. It is very important to listen to others, not to criticize or judge without understanding and knowing the other’s opinions, to say directly to others what we think of them, to keep an open mind, to be tolerant, to be impartial and take a positive attitude. Therefore, one of the most important skills of client-centered help and support on social level is a sufficiently high level of conflict management skills.