Beyond Conflict Resolution
Monday, September 20th, 2010
Resolving Conflict Assists Staff Morale and Performance
Staff performance relies heavily on the capability and commitment of those staff. What fuels their commitment is the energy they can apply to their work. As leaders your role is to help staff harness and maximise that energy and because conflict has a tendency to drain people, knowing how to provide conflict management and resolution is an essential leadership skill.
When you detect conflict, determine whether this is healthy conflict or if it’s beyond that. If it’s become personal, often that is a red flag. Encourage the parties to discuss and resolve their differences and if this is not possible, or doesn’t work, then offer to facilitate conflict resolution.
In short this will typically be best facilitated by taking the following solution based approach:
- Atmosphere: Start by lightening the situation, in a way you feel comfortable.
- Why: Uncover why it’s important to resolve the differences.
- Understanding: Encourage one to outline their views on the situation (and the other party to listen, clarify and really understand. Facilitate both as they speak and keep focussed on the facts).
- Summarise: Outline the facts and outline where you can see there is already agreement.
- Options: Encourage them to discuss options and if possible to find a solution.
By helping managers and staff in managing and resolving conflict, you will ensure your people are happier and apply more energy to optimising their performance.
Contact us to improve your conflict management and resolution or return to the Stepshift Leadership Blog for more business advice.