| Occasional conflict is a fact of | | | | intentional messages, both verbal and |
| organizational life. There are a variety of | | | | written, is the primary cause of a primary |
| reasons why it arises, many of which are | | | | source of conflict: misunderstanding. Until |
| normal and natural. However, left | | | | these types of fundamental elements of |
| unaddressed and unmanaged, conflict will | | | | organizational culture are honestly |
| increase business risk and financial loss as | | | | scrutinized and any shortcomings corrected, |
| well as reduce work performance quality. In | | | | no matter how well conflict appears to be |
| circumstances of prolonged tension, | | | | initially resolved it will reignite later |
| employees' vision becomes myopic and their | | | | without warning.Any effective resolution to |
| view of the organization's future (and their | | | | organizational conflict must include an |
| own future with the organization) becomes | | | | unmitigated examination of the organization's |
| blurred. Shortsighted decision making and | | | | structure, policies, procedures and processes |
| reactive defensive behaviors damage the | | | | and must accomplish three ends:- Reduce the |
| company's ability to achieve long-term | | | | risks of failure to achieve goals and |
| goals.With all of these harmful ramifications | | | | objectives- Prevent loss of financial |
| of something that inevitably occurs in every | | | | investment, asset value and human |
| organization, it behooves leaders to identify | | | | capital- Recover negatively impacted |
| all current intrinsic environmental and | | | | performance so that business outputs are |
| behavioral factors that contribute to the | | | | measurably improvedFurthermore, all personnel |
| periodic occurrence of disharmony. Only when | | | | will need to be trained in simple yet |
| you thoroughly and completely understand the | | | | effective relationship development skills so |
| systemic sources of disputes throughout your | | | | they can confidently engage others with whom |
| organization can you craft thorough, complete | | | | they are in conflict to:- identify the |
| and enduring resolutions to conflicts that | | | | primary issue(s) at the center of the |
| will at the same time strengthen the | | | | dispute- establish agreement that there is a |
| relationship bonds among all affected | | | | better way to be in relationship and that |
| personnel. As we'll discover later in this | | | | "anyone who angers you conquers you"- enter |
| article, conflict, well managed, can actually | | | | into a simple resolution process that they |
| increase employees' desire to collaborate and | | | | and all employees have had a hand in creating |
| strengthen their commitment to work together | | | | and commit to stay in until a mutually |
| to achieve departmental and company | | | | satisfactory resolution is achievedThis |
| goals.Examining the causes of conflict is not | | | | simple conflict resolution process involves |
| the primary purpose of this article. Most | | | | the following:1. Initiating non-judgmental |
| people know what causes conflict in their | | | | dialogue with a co-worker2. Committing to |
| lives and in their jobs. Rather, I will | | | | participating in the process, cooperating |
| concentrate on how to redirect the time and | | | | with the rules of engagement as they are |
| energy that conflict siphons from legitimate | | | | defined by the process and to listening |
| business activity into solid enterprise | | | | without interruption3. Stating the problem in |
| growth.Leadership's RoleAlthough it would | | | | terms that remove the other's defensiveness4. |
| appear to do so, conflict does not create | | | | Removing environmental obstacles and |
| energy. Rather, it diverts existing energy | | | | challenges from the meeting time and place |
| and subverts efforts to focus that energy on | | | | that typically cause communication efforts to |
| accomplishing organizational objectives. | | | | fail (i.e., no uninterrupted privacy, |
| When human energy becomes diffused through | | | | noisiness, too close to meal time, etc.)5 |
| conflict it goes "off target" and into | | | | Agreeing to approach the issue not as |
| activities that are very often subversive and | | | | "me-against-you" but as |
| injurious to the continued viability of the | | | | "us-against-the-problem"6. Acknowledging |
| organization. This results in "process loss" | | | | naturally occurring conciliatory gestures, |
| in that the intended outcomes of processes | | | | such as admission of misunderstanding or even |
| are not achieved due to the unavailability of | | | | culpability, apologizing, expressing |
| the energy that is required to achieve | | | | responsibility for the consequences of one's |
| them.The primary task of leadership is to | | | | behavior, etc.7. Forming simple agreements |
| manage people's time and energy to realize | | | | that prevent recurrence of conflict by |
| the organization's intentions. By developing | | | | soliciting specific supportive behaviors and |
| an unambiguous approach to human energy | | | | verbal encouragement from all those who have |
| management and conflict resolution and | | | | been affected by the conflict and, therefore, |
| prevention, leaders will be equipped to | | | | have a stake in its resolutionResolutions |
| reclaim sidetracked energy and recapture any | | | | that emerge from this type of process quickly |
| process loss resulting from occasional or | | | | release arrested energy and allow it to be |
| chronic conflict.Energy FlowWhen you | | | | steered toward goal accomplishment. |
| experience conflict, the usual attending | | | | Ironically, the experience of conflict |
| emotions are anger and fear exacerbated by an | | | | becomes an element in a shared history |
| involuntary rush of adrenaline and other | | | | between colleagues that serves to bond them |
| hormones throughout your body. If the | | | | in future interactions. The tension, anxiety |
| discord is thought to be particularly hostile | | | | and stress that are relieved by means of |
| or threatening (which is often the case even | | | | mutually addressing and resolving conflict |
| in innocuous and benign situations), you | | | | transform into a predisposition toward |
| experience a surge of energy in preparation | | | | cooperative behavior. The lifting of the |
| to do one of two things: fight or flee. This | | | | emotional weight caused by conflict generates |
| redirects the energy you would otherwise be | | | | enthusiasm, creates a collaborative spirit |
| expending on enterprise-related endeavors | | | | and builds hopefulness for a better future as |
| toward self-preservation. This seems to be a | | | | well as a desire to maintain an environment |
| "hard-wired" instinct for all human beings, | | | | in which these emotions and behaviors can |
| one that occurs without conscious choice or | | | | thrive.The Conflict LogAn important step in a |
| control. Such a quick redirection of the | | | | quick resolution solution is to chronicle |
| flow of energy often overwhelms the reasoning | | | | conflicts by documenting in a "conflict log" |
| process and heightens some of the physical | | | | all manifestations of conflict in the |
| senses while diminishing others. For | | | | organization. Each example is analyzed as to |
| instance, the field of vision narrows | | | | date of occurrence, personal as well as |
| considerably to focus on the perceived threat | | | | structural causes, internal and external |
| as the hearing becomes less specific and | | | | environmental contributors, all attempts at |
| acute. Prepared with what it takes to act | | | | resolution, outcomes, duration of initial |
| with overwhelming force to accomplish a vital | | | | resolution, amendments to initial agreements |
| objective, the choice of what is the best | | | | and instances of reoccurrence and subsequent |
| action to take is unfortunately not a clear | | | | outcomes. This history and encyclopedia of |
| one. When clarity of thought is most needed | | | | conflict in your organization will help to |
| it is least available.This doesn't mean, | | | | easily identify the patterns and sources that |
| however, that whenever conflict occurs only | | | | give rise to and fuel conflict between and |
| bad decisions will be made. But good | | | | among individuals and business units. When |
| decisions are deliberately made and take into | | | | in disagreement, the parties involved can |
| consideration all pertinent immediate data as | | | | quickly consult the log to aid them in their |
| well as potential consequences of both | | | | understanding and appreciation of the |
| intended and unintended outcomes. This takes | | | | dynamics of the conflict in which they are |
| some time. It takes focused energy and a 360 | | | | currently engaged.Develop a Conflict Risk |
| degree awareness of your environment. During | | | | Management StrategyA clearly defined and |
| conflict the time and energy it takes to make | | | | communicated conflict resolution process is |
| good decisions for the organization is | | | | only part of the organization's overall |
| diverted toward self-preservation thereby | | | | conflict risk management strategy. A |
| increasing the likelihood that less than | | | | conflict risk management strategy is simply a |
| desirable decisions for the company will be | | | | detailed plan that clearly states the |
| made. Any business that creates specific and | | | | environmental causes of conflict, their |
| well-thought-out conflict risk management | | | | current negative impact on the organization's |
| policies and processes can actually turn | | | | forward momentum toward accomplishing its |
| conflict into a strategic competitive | | | | goals, all specific deleterious effects on |
| advantage by channeling human energy in any | | | | its finances and prospects for growth and a |
| discordant situation to flow toward improving | | | | concisely written list of all the behaviors |
| work relationships.The Dangers of Unresolved | | | | that lead both to conflict and its |
| ConflictThe danger of occasional conflict is | | | | resolution. It furthermore identifies the |
| that it will not be resolved in a timely and | | | | resulting benefits to individuals and |
| thorough manner. In this case, the | | | | processes that the resolutions of conflicts |
| underlying sources and factors of the | | | | will have. But it goes a step further in |
| conflict linger and fester. As with anything | | | | that it details the ways in which the energy |
| negative that is hidden or ignored, these | | | | that is freed up by means of constructive |
| contributors to conflict grow in perceived | | | | resolution can be practically applied to |
| significance and power to adversely affect | | | | existing business processes and improvement |
| how one lives and works.Unresolved conflict, | | | | efforts.Any effective conflict risk |
| no matter how initially inconsequential the | | | | management strategy must include:1. Specific |
| conflict may appear to be, will eventually | | | | corrective actions that will concurrently |
| degrade the liveliness of the organization. | | | | remove the disruptive effects of conflict |
| At best, people will emotionlessly go through | | | | from all aspects of the operating |
| the motions of work and, at worst, they will | | | | environment2. Identification of processes, |
| actively work to undermine the enterprise. | | | | procedures, policies and behavioral patterns |
| In either case, the quality of work and | | | | that contribute to recurring conflicts3. A |
| business outcomes over time declines to | | | | detailed plan to eliminate these contributors |
| depths that gradually makes the | | | | to conflict from the operating |
| organization's very existence untenable.When | | | | environment4. A list of proven methods and |
| occasional conflict is left unresolved it | | | | behaviors that quickly resolve conflict by |
| becomes a chronic source of future | | | | identifying and then addressing the |
| disharmony. When it flares up again its | | | | underlying environmental and/or personal root |
| negative impact on the operating environment | | | | causes5. A written agreement template to be |
| becomes more acute and destructive because of | | | | completed by those in conflict agreeing to |
| the remembrance of past similar conflicts and | | | | change their focus from "me-against-you" to |
| the intervening growth of negative emotions | | | | "us-against-the-problem"6. A list of detailed |
| and resentments surrounding those previous | | | | scenarios in which processes are delineated |
| experiences.These submerged negative emotions | | | | to harness the liberated time and energy now |
| constitute much of the fuel for the "fires" | | | | available for productive endsWhen designing |
| that managers often complain about. They | | | | and implementing your conflict risk |
| lament that much of their own time and energy | | | | management strategy, you'll need to assess |
| is diverted away from the important issues | | | | the entire business environment to determine |
| they need to attend to in order to grow the | | | | the relevant factors and forces at work in |
| business. Consequently (and to mix the | | | | the dispute. In other words, you'll have to |
| metaphor), they often feel like they're in | | | | approach conflict and its causes in a |
| over their heads treading water or worse, | | | | holistic manner. One of your objectives will |
| drowning. Discontent and malaise are the | | | | be to remove all contributing sources within |
| prevailing perspectives informing the work | | | | your operating environment that feed the |
| environment and managing the time and energy | | | | continuation and escalation of conflict while |
| of disgruntled employees does, indeed, take | | | | transforming the energy that is bound up by |
| an enormous amount of a leader's time and | | | | conflict into positive momentum toward |
| energy. The momentum of the organization | | | | productive business outcomes.Managers will |
| slows and eventually halts due to the | | | | need to be equipped with conflict resolution |
| dissipation and diffusion of human energy. | | | | skills that enable them to place |
| When energy flows in all directions, it | | | | organizational conflict resolution into the |
| cannot move an organization in a specific | | | | larger context of strategic business issues |
| direction.Following is a list of the effects | | | | that require their attention. Solutions need |
| of unresolved conflict in any organization | | | | to be reality based and driven by project |
| that can lead to its slow but sure | | | | management disciplines that bring |
| decline:- Conflict spreads by feeding on | | | | measurability and accountability for everyone |
| negativity with the result that nobody sees | | | | involved in every resolution.Effects of an |
| it as "their" problem; resolution is | | | | Effective Conflict Risk Management |
| considered to be somebody else's | | | | Strategy- Conflict is everybody's |
| problem- Chronic conflict becomes acute and | | | | business- Conflict is resolved quickly and |
| urgent; this increases business risk, | | | | conflict-related risk and loss is permanently |
| financial losses and can speed movement | | | | removed- Conflict is used as a performance |
| toward litigation- Conflict erodes | | | | recovery tool- Conflict sharpens focus on |
| performance resulting in process breakdowns | | | | strategic business goals and |
| and unintended outcomes- Conflict distorts | | | | objectives- Conflict is used to identify and |
| focus resulting in loss of contact with the | | | | prevent waste through conservation and |
| realities of the internal and external | | | | enhancement of assets- Conflict is used |
| environments resulting in a muddled view of | | | | strategically to build collaboration, |
| the marketplace- Conflict dilutes enterprise | | | | commitment and civility- Conflict is used to |
| resources resulting in wasted time, energy | | | | identify and design corrective actionsSimple |
| and cash- Conflict fights change resulting in | | | | conflict resolution skills for risk |
| overt and covert resistance, resentment and | | | | reduction, loss prevention and performance |
| revenge; beneficial and necessary change is | | | | recovery are a vital aspect of your conflict |
| thwarted or is effected too late- Conflict | | | | risk management strategy. These skills, |
| attacks quality and service through "foot | | | | together with the quick resolution solution |
| dragging" and retaliatory activities; this | | | | process will make resolving differences |
| results in loss of customers and competitive | | | | between personnel a natural part of the daily |
| edgeThe Quick Resolution SolutionTo resolve | | | | operating environment in your organization. |
| conflicts quickly there must be an | | | | In short, it will become a competitive edge |
| unambiguous resolution process in place and a | | | | that will drive enterprise growth.Ken |
| clear understanding of the skills involved in | | | | Wallace, M. Div., CSL has been in the |
| participating successfully in it. This | | | | organizational development field since 1973. |
| process needs to be crafted to serve the | | | | He is a seasoned consultant, speaker and |
| long-term economic interests of the business | | | | executive coach with extensive business |
| in its efforts to achieve strategic goals and | | | | experience in multiple industries who |
| objectives and not just to ameliorate | | | | provides practical organizational direction |
| interpersonal strife caused by | | | | and support for business leaders. A |
| misunderstandings or injured feelings.This is | | | | professional member of the National Speakers |
| where many conflict resolution processes go | | | | Association since 1989, he is also a member |
| awry: they focus exclusively on the personal | | | | of the International Federation for |
| issues and emotions of the parties involved | | | | Professional Speaking and holds the Certified |
| and don't take into account the systemic | | | | Seminar Leader (CSL) professional designation |
| cultural sources that trigger and sustain | | | | awarded by the American Seminar Leaders |
| conflict. Examples of the latter could | | | | Association.Ken is one of only eight |
| include inequities in workload distribution | | | | certified Business Systems Coaches worldwide |
| within the same department and differences in | | | | for General Motors.His topics include ethics, |
| management supervision approaches and | | | | leadership, change, communication & his |
| practices among different departments. | | | | unique Optimal Process Design(R) |
| Further to the point, the lack of a clear | | | | program.Tel:(800)235-5690 Claim your free |
| communication process that holds both speaker | | | | Leadership Self-Evaluation Checklist by |
| and hearer accountable for the timeliness, | | | | visiting the Better Than Your Best website. |
| thoroughness, accuracy and consistency of | | | | |