Ways to Fix Conflict in the Workplace

Conflict in the workplace is as common as it is, in other facets of life. Leading management consultant Liz Kislik, a business mentor and a writer at Harvard Business Review addresses the pressing issue of workplace conflict and attempts to analyze the causes that lead to the same. Asserting the acute necessity of taking into account the structures that instigate such conflicts, Kislik believes & provides five steps to resolve workplace conflicts.

How to resolve workplace conflicts?

To begin with, Liz states that it is redundant to blame and condemn individuals involved when it comes to addressing a conflict in the workplace. Rather, she proposes that it is important to look beyond the superficial, apparent reasons and to delve deeper so as to truly ascertain the multi-faceted causes giving rise to such conflicts. As the first step, Kislik suggests that it is essential to either screen out or ameliorate and rectify dysfunctional individuals such as bullies or incompetent workers so as to prevent a conflict from arising, in the first place. Secondly, she mentions that it is essential to take into account the experiences of all the people working on the ground so as to truly discern the nature of the conflict by looking at it from a broad range of perspectives. The third step, Liz states, is to ensure an alignment of vision and to curb any miscommunication on the part of the employees, to make sure that they are able to coordinate and collaborate better and to accomplish a common, desired objective. Likewise, she asserts that it is also essential to locate allies at all levels so as to create interconnected bridges across departments and units, which, in turn, will enhance performance and productivity, in the long run. As the final step, she recommends teaching new habits and techniques so as to aid better communication and so as to modify such behavior that might give rise to consequent conflict.

Listing out certain appropriate responses and reactions that might be useful in curbing and handling conflicts, Kislik concludes by saying it also takes commitment, courage, and profound, consistent efforts so as to ardently unearth, analyze and obliterate what is designated as conflict in the workplace, eventually.