Conflict management – to enhance learning and group outcomes, including effectiveness or performance in an organizational setting
It’s hard to avoid conflict entirely, both in the workplace and elsewhere in life. It’s human nature to disagree. In fact, eliminating conflict entirely would cause its own problems: there would be no diversity of opinion and no way for us to catch and correct flawed plans and policies
Communication Skills
Much unnecessary conflict can be avoided simply with clear, accurate written and verbal communication;
Assumptions about what other people already know, think, or intend can cause resentment or worse. Many people argue simply because they want to feel heard. Simply being a good listener can be enough to inspire trust and resolve hurt feelings.
Empathy
Empathy means feeling what others feel. The ability to see a situation from someone else’s viewpoint, to understand their needs, motivations, and possible misunderstandings, is critical to effective conflict management. Some people are naturally more empathic than others, but empathy can be developed.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand one’s own feelings and those of others, and to handle those feelings well. People who have high emotional intelligence are good at identifying and meeting the needs of others while taking responsibility for their own needs and feelings.
Creative Problem Solving
Understanding and communication are all very well and good, but do not help much if you don’t have a solution for the underlying problem, whatever that problem may be. Conflict often happens because no one can come up with a workable solution, so resolving the conflict depends on creating a solution.