In any organization, conflicts arise between employees as a natural outcome of employee relations. To an extent, conflicts are necessary and fairly normal in every workplace. The problem really arises when the managers get embroiled in these conflicts and find themselves in sticky situations.
I am reminded of a popular fable by Leo Tolstoy. The story described two children at play who get into a squabble. Their parents, seeing the fight, join in and take sides with their children. Soon the fight builds into enormous proportions when more and more people join each side, thereby having the entire village divided into two parties in the conflict. The interesting part of the story is that the two kids who started the fight completely forget about their fight and continue to play happily.
Managers can become quite like the unthinking adults in the story. They get stuck into minor disputes between employees and often lose focus on their goals.
The most effective conflict management technique is to let the employees handle their own conflicts and find their solutions. As a manager, it is not your responsibility to jump into every little squabble between employees. Here is what you need to do to manage those petty clashes:
*Stay out of the dispute. Don't take any sides or else you will be classified as the 'unfair boss'. If not that, you will be seen as a 'corporate bully' who uses position power to hit out at your employees.
*Train your employees on issues of conflict management. Conflict management is not a fire fighting technique; it has to be done well in advance. Such remedial measures will curb the employees' need to bring every conflict to the manager's table.
*Set policies and guidelines to help employees resolve their conflicts. There should be a written and oral communication on what employees are expected to do in case of conflicts. Reaching out to the manager should be the last resort when all else fails.
*Educate employees on diverse work styles, cultures and ethics of people. Teach them to respect and be tolerant to other's beliefs and behaviors. An empathetic work environment allows everybody to fit in and gives adequate room for diverse behaviors.
*It should be very clear to employees of what are acceptable behaviors for the organization. By turning away from conflicts, the organization may indirectly be supporting illegal or immoral behaviors.
*Whistle blowers should also not feel sidelined by stringent procedures. If an employee raises an alarm against a potential threat to the organization, the managers must act immediately and encourage such whistle blowers.
*Finally, lead by example. Conflict resolution should be actively undertaken in the organization at all levels. People should be encouraged to find creative solutions to their problems. And in case there are people who constantly pick a fight, they should be corrected for their behavior immediately. There are many conflict management styles; each employee has to find a style that best suits her personality.
From India, Pune
101I am reminded of a popular fable by Leo Tolstoy. The story described two children at play who get into a squabble. Their parents, seeing the fight, join in and take sides with their children. Soon the fight builds into enormous proportions when more and more people join each side, thereby having the entire village divided into two parties in the conflict. The interesting part of the story is that the two kids who started the fight completely forget about their fight and continue to play happily.
Managers can become quite like the unthinking adults in the story. They get stuck into minor disputes between employees and often lose focus on their goals.
The most effective conflict management technique is to let the employees handle their own conflicts and find their solutions. As a manager, it is not your responsibility to jump into every little squabble between employees. Here is what you need to do to manage those petty clashes:
*Stay out of the dispute. Don't take any sides or else you will be classified as the 'unfair boss'. If not that, you will be seen as a 'corporate bully' who uses position power to hit out at your employees.
*Train your employees on issues of conflict management. Conflict management is not a fire fighting technique; it has to be done well in advance. Such remedial measures will curb the employees' need to bring every conflict to the manager's table.
*Set policies and guidelines to help employees resolve their conflicts. There should be a written and oral communication on what employees are expected to do in case of conflicts. Reaching out to the manager should be the last resort when all else fails.
*Educate employees on diverse work styles, cultures and ethics of people. Teach them to respect and be tolerant to other's beliefs and behaviors. An empathetic work environment allows everybody to fit in and gives adequate room for diverse behaviors.
*It should be very clear to employees of what are acceptable behaviors for the organization. By turning away from conflicts, the organization may indirectly be supporting illegal or immoral behaviors.
*Whistle blowers should also not feel sidelined by stringent procedures. If an employee raises an alarm against a potential threat to the organization, the managers must act immediately and encourage such whistle blowers.
*Finally, lead by example. Conflict resolution should be actively undertaken in the organization at all levels. People should be encouraged to find creative solutions to their problems. And in case there are people who constantly pick a fight, they should be corrected for their behavior immediately. There are many conflict management styles; each employee has to find a style that best suits her personality.
From India, Pune
Dear Rajat, Compliments ! Conflicts in workplaces are real issues. I personally believe every employee should be given this in form of handout. Thanks again, for sharing ! =Lahiri,Kolkata.
From India, Calcutta
From India, Calcutta
Dear Rajat Joshi,
I would like to appraise your write up on "conflict handling" critically. Following are my observations:
a) You have quoted story of children fighting and then playing again. However, this has hardly any relevance with the workplace. Adults cannot and do not behave like children.
b) Anywhere in your write up, you have not made any mention of:
i) How managers should generate positive or functional conflict
ii) How competition is different from conflict
iii) How managers should strive to bring collaboration at the workplace.
iv) How interpersonal skills, questioning skills, listening skills, assertive skills are supporting skills to conflict handling skills.
v) How conflict vitiates the organisation culture
vi) Role of leadership in the conflict
viii) There cannot be one set of guidelines on "conflict handling". Conflict handling is heavily judgemental.
ix) You say that employees should be allowed to solve their own conflicts and managers should not involve in their conflicts. Can I know where can you have these mature employees? As far as my observation is concerned on IT industry, even they do not have matured employees, their engineering graduation as minimum qualification notwithstanding.
x) While writing you could have distinguished about role conflict, task conflict, process conflict and relationship conflict.
The above observations and not for offending you but to toss conflicting views on the "conflict handling skills".
Thanks,
Dinesh V Divekar
From India, Bangalore
I would like to appraise your write up on "conflict handling" critically. Following are my observations:
a) You have quoted story of children fighting and then playing again. However, this has hardly any relevance with the workplace. Adults cannot and do not behave like children.
b) Anywhere in your write up, you have not made any mention of:
i) How managers should generate positive or functional conflict
ii) How competition is different from conflict
iii) How managers should strive to bring collaboration at the workplace.
iv) How interpersonal skills, questioning skills, listening skills, assertive skills are supporting skills to conflict handling skills.
v) How conflict vitiates the organisation culture
vi) Role of leadership in the conflict
viii) There cannot be one set of guidelines on "conflict handling". Conflict handling is heavily judgemental.
ix) You say that employees should be allowed to solve their own conflicts and managers should not involve in their conflicts. Can I know where can you have these mature employees? As far as my observation is concerned on IT industry, even they do not have matured employees, their engineering graduation as minimum qualification notwithstanding.
x) While writing you could have distinguished about role conflict, task conflict, process conflict and relationship conflict.
The above observations and not for offending you but to toss conflicting views on the "conflict handling skills".
Thanks,
Dinesh V Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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Training on effective Performance Management.pdf
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT.ppt