Conflict is bound to arise in any business. The conflict may occur between co-workers or with a client. An unresolved conflict has the potential to negatively impact the productivity and profitability of any company. Through an improvement in yours or your colleagues’ dispute resolution skills, a conflict is less likely to hamper the day-to-day operations at your workplace. Below are a few conflict resolution tips that can be easily followed:

1. Look at the Big Picture

Don’t focus on those who are bogged down in the conflict. There is little to gain by trying to resolve any he-said-she-said debates that may occur. Instead, listen to what each person says to try to figure out his or her specific needs and interests and the underlying issues. If attention can then be paid to addressing the underlying problem, there is a greater likelihood that a mutually agreeable resolution can be found.

2. Remember to Listen

Sometimes people just need to air their grievances. It is important to show the other person that you have heard what they’ve said. When you listen to somebody you are more likely to take a positive step towards the resolution of the conflict. Even if you don’t agree with what has been said, you have indicated that the lines of communication are open.

3. Address the Problem Sooner Rather Than Later

When you learn of a conflict, you should take all steps available to communicate with the parties involved at the outset. As the conflict tends to deepen the longer it remains unresolved, there is a heightened need to quickly address the situation that gave rise to the conflict. If you choose to avoid dealing with the conflict, then it is likely that the problem will become more difficult to resolve.

4. Get Conflict Resolution Training

An effective way to improve your conflict resolution skills is to receive professional training. You will learn new techniques to apply that should lead to the resolution of workplace conflict in a more effective way.

If you can de-personalize a conflict, actively listen, address the situation quickly, and seek out professional training, you will set yourself up for enhanced success in resolving disputes that may come up. Stitt Feld Handy Group offers alternative dispute resolution training to small and large businesses with courses in communication, negotiation, mediation and arbitration that use the latest adult education techniques. Contact us today to learn more about how to get started.

To learn conflict resolution skills that you can use at work and in your personal life, please visit our Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop page to learn more about upcoming in-person and instructor-led online sessions.

To improve your negotiation skills and get the results you want while negotiating, please visit our Become a Powerful Negotiator Workshop page to learn more about upcoming in-person and instructor-led online sessions.

To gain skills to handle difficult conversations and difficult people with confidence, please visit our Dealing With Difficult People Workshop page to learn more about upcoming in-person and instructor-led online sessions.

To make better decisions, we need to understand how our mind takes shortcuts and how those shortcuts trick us into making bad decisions. If you understand how your mind works and when it fails you, you will make better decisions. To improve your decision-making skills, please visit our Effective Decision Making Workshop page to learn more about upcoming in-person and instructor-led online sessions.