Mastering Conflict Resolution: Strategies for Positive Outcomes

Introduction

Healthy and strong relationships are important aspects of life and well-being. However, speaking realistically, relationships, whether personal or professional, are not smooth sailing. There are ups and downs, and conflicts tend to seep into relationships and test the very foundations of these relationships.

Conflict resolution, therefore, becomes an important tool to have in the arsenal. It plays a key role in navigating challenges and reduces the negative impact of conflicts in different kinds of relationships.

What is Conflict Resolution?

Conflict resolution refers to when two or more parties involved in a conflict find a solution that is agreeable to all those involved. Finding the middle path, so to speak.

Conflicts are common in personal and professional relationships, however, letting conflicts fester, is the problem. In their research, Dr. John Gottman et al. found that 69% of relationship problems stem from unresolved conflicts. Denying or avoiding conflicts also does not help. So, conflict resolution is the key to healthy relationships.

Having good conflict resolution skills leads to a better personal and professional environment. They can resolve relationship troubles or disputes in a healthy, positive manner. This will stop conflicts from impacting relationships adversely.

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The Importance of Conflict Resolution Skills

Conflicts can occur in different settings, personal, professional, and in the age of digitization, even in virtual settings. Conflict resolution meaning also varies from one setting to another, as it requires different skill sets in different places. Sometimes it requires empathy and mediation, and at other times, it also requires arbitration.

In personal conflicts, conflict resolution requires reconciling emotions and navigating the complexities of personal boundaries.

Meanwhile, in workplace settings, it involves navigating work-related or even business challenges in a manner that is beneficial to all the parties involved. Conflict resolution is not just involved in boosting productivity, but it also leads to an overall rewarding career.

In fact, conflict resolution in itself can lead to career paths like counseling, social work, mediation, arbitration, litigation, and human resources.

Common Conflict Resolution Strategies

There are five common conflict resolution strategies that are applicable in different settings, and they are as follows:

• Remaining Calm – 

  Conflict flares tempers like nothing else. So, in these cases, remaining calm is the most productive thing to do. Drinking a glass of water, counting to ten, taking deep breaths, or going out for a brisk walk or a quick run when possible are certain strategies that can help remain calm in the face of conflict.

• Active Listening – 

  Conflicts can become a war of words within no time. Active listening restricts conflicts from devolving any further. It involves focusing on what the other person is saying, understanding how they feel about things, and not interrupting. It is listening with the intent of understanding and not simply to reply.

• Communication – 

  Effective communication is central to conflict resolution. It requires verbal and non-verbal communication skills that are able to articulate, collaborate, and persuade. Communication does not stop at resolving a conflict at hand but also prevents similar conflicts in the future.

• No Blaming – 

  With conflicts, it is very easy to play the blame game. However, conflicts are never one party’s fault. The essence of conflict resolution lies in accepting responsibility and not shifting the blame to someone else.

• Apologizing – 

  Conflict resolution comes with accepting responsibility. Apologizing when wrong goes a long way in successfully resolving conflicts.

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Steps to Effectively Resolve Conflicts

• Planning –

  While conflicts can arise at any given point in time, staying ahead of them is the key. This requires very small things, like choosing the right time and place. Conflict resolution needs to be done where appropriate, otherwise, it will have a counterproductive effect.

• Direct and Clear Communication –

  Being direct and clear in communication is effective for conflict resolution. It is especially useful when it is done one-on-one or face-to-face. However, this needs to be assessed properly, especially if there is a threat of violence or some other similar thing.

• Listen –

  Communication is two-way, so it is not just about speaking. It is also listening. Listening to what the other person or party has to say, can help understand where they are coming from.

• Talking It Through –

  Leaving no stone unturned when it comes to discussing conflicts is one step forward in finding solutions. It makes it clear what each party is feeling, where they are coming from, and what can be an effective way of resolving the dispute.

• Brainstorming Solutions –

  Working toward a solution is identifying different ones, and finding the one that is beneficial to all. It is finding a middle path, and must never be very extreme or hard on any party.

• Following Through –

  Once a solution is identified, the final step will be to follow through. Not following through with the solution, and checking with the others along the way, can throw away all the efforts put in thus far.

Conflict Resolution Skills for Personal Relationships

Conflict resolution is vital for the stability and health of personal relationships. However, within the context of personal relationships, conflict resolution meaning changes. There will be many factors to consider that are different from workplace or business settings.

• Emotional Regulation –

  Personal conflicts can lead to emotional extremes. The key is to reduce these emotional extremes and reflect upon the conflict in a collected manner. Emotional intelligence and anger management are certain skills required for emotional regulation.

• Active Listening –

  Listening to the other person and focusing on what they are trying to say helps realize where they are coming from and increases understanding.

• Communication –

  Communication in personal conflicts needs to be clear and direct, but at the same time, it must be empathetic, sincere, and two-way. Focusing on using more “I” statements also makes communication personal, places the onus on oneself, and does not seem like shifting blame.

• Assertiveness –

  It is often mistaken for being blunt, however, real assertiveness indicates self-control, and fairness, and also indicates being open to other perspectives and opinions.

• Apology –

  Personal conflicts are rarely one-sided, and knowing when to apologize leads to successful conflict resolution.

Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

Conflict resolution in workplace settings requires a certain set of skills. Having good conflict resolution skills can make one a valuable asset, a smooth negotiator, and it can also create a positive environment and boost productivity.

• Identify the Root of a Conflict – 

Usually, unless looked deeper into, the roots of a conflict are not immediately evident. For instance, conflict might arise from a mistake, however, the real reason for the mistake might be unclear job roles. So, identifying the root of a conflict is very important.

• Investigate – 

Once the root of a conflict is identified, investigating further helps in identifying what is negotiable and what is non-negotiable. This can affect the way solutions are identified and framed.

• Identifying Solutions –

Brainstorming is required to identify solutions for a conflict. This requires being open so that everybody involved can give their input. Moreover, collaboration is also necessary to find a solution that is effective and agreeable to all.

• Finding Common Ground – 

Once a solution is identified, it must be made sure that the solution is beneficial to all parties. It must not be too lenient or too hard on anyone. Only finding common ground will lead to successful conflict resolution.

• Being Open to Negotiation –

Ideally, conflict resolution will lead to a win-win solution. However, it is not ideal all the time, and during these times, there needs to be room for negotiation.

Conflict Resolution Techniques for Teams

Even within workplace settings, conflict resolution meaning changes within a team context when compared to an individual context. When it comes to team conflict resolution, leadership is required. At the same time, it must also be collaborative.

• Open and Clear Communication – 

Communication with the leader and the team members must be direct, and whenever possible, face-to-face.

• Hear Everyone Out – 

Listening to all team members is important so that everybody feels heard and their inputs are considered.

• Problem-Focused – 

Conflict resolution within teams must focus on the problem and not on the members. This helps stay objective and does not place blame on one or more members.

• Agreements and Disagreements – 

Even within teams, finding common ground becomes important. This will be based on what everybody can agree upon and disagree with. Ideally, this will lead to satisfaction all around.

• Planning – 

Conflict resolution requires developing a plan that is based on common interests. This makes it goal-driven and action-oriented.

• Decisiveness – 

Leaders and team members must show decisiveness when it comes to following through with the developed plan. This can also help find loopholes and rectify them.

Conflict Resolution and Emotional Intelligence

Conflicts arise when two or more parties cannot agree on a certain thing. It can result from incompatibility, differences in values, opinions, and goals in life, and other similar factors. So, when it comes to resolving conflicts, emotional intelligence becomes very important.

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize and manage one’s own as well as others’ feelings. When it comes to conflict resolution, emotional intelligence helps in exercising patience, understanding, empathy, sincerity, and also objectivity. Overall, it creates a positive environment where people feel safe to open up and share their feelings and opinions, it fosters good communication, and leads to effective conflict resolution.

Conflict resolution, whether in personal, professional, or social contexts, relies heavily on emotional intelligence.