Conflict is bound to occur in the workplace. We need to understand the causes and how we should deal with it.
The following table shows common sources of conflict.
| The GOALS that each of us is pursuing | Our VALUES or BELIEFS are different |
| The TASKS we have been given are inter- dependent | Lack of understanding of the BENEFITS of working together |
| We are operating under poorly defined RULES | We are having difficultly COMMUNICATING |
| There is a HISTORY of problems in our relationship | Our leaders are MOTIVATING us without coordination |
| Our OPINIONS or VIEWS are different | The way we are BEHAVING |
| One of us has violated our established TRUST | We don’t understand or value our ROLE |
| The BOUNDARIES of our authority | We don’t have the SKILLS we need |
| The STRUCTURE of the organization and our affiliation | One of us violated previously established EXPECTATIONS |
| We both need the same RESOURCES | We have been MIS-INFORMED |
There are five strategies that can be used to deal with conflict.
| Avoiding | keep away from or stop oneself from doing |
| Compromising | an agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions |
| Forcing | coercion or compulsion, especially with the use of threat or violence |
| Yielding | Going away under pressure |
| Problem Solving | (See below) |
If the parties involved in the conflict can identify the source of conflict, they can resolve it and arrive at a win-win solution. Clearly, this is a favored strategy. A good five-step problem-solving method would enable the resolution.
|
1 |
Define the Problem |
|
2 |
Analyze the Causes |
|
3 |
Identify Solutions |
|
4 |
Develop an Implementation Plan |
| 5 |
Implement and Assess the Effects |
Stephen P. (Steve) Czerniak
About the author: Mr. Czerniak retired after a successful career that culminated in fifteen years of experience as an internal consultant and “change agent.” He is currently an Executive-in-Residence at the Macomb-Oakland University Incubator and a volunteer with the Troy Historic Village and Historical Society.
Good practical advice that needs to be known and followed. Thanks for the input that may result in better output when followed.