You're a people manager dealing with conflict resolution. How can you make it productive?

To ensure productive conflict resolution, focus on understanding the root cause, not assigning blame. Actively listen to each person, identify common ground, and brainstorm solutions together. This approach fosters collaboration and ensures a resolution that addresses everyone's needs.

Resolving conflicts at work is crucial for a happy environment. As a manager, using good strategies is key. First, acknowledge the issue and make a safe space for talking. Listen well and stay neutral to understand both sides. Find common ground and encourage teamwork. Brainstorm solutions together, focusing on the future. Set clear rules for how to behave going forward and offer support afterwards. Write down what was decided to avoid confusion. Also, build trust and respect among team members. When people feel valued, they talk openly and find solutions together. Following these steps helps manage conflicts well and keeps work positive.

Simple as it sounds, it is not unusual to make decisions based soley on our experiences. Take a few deep breaths, listen, listen and listen again, to all sides. You may find an enlightening perspective you never saw before. It is not a good idea to allow the presure of wanting to be decisive or progressive to rob you of deep perspective.

Understanding the context, the nature of the members involved, their conflict resolution style, their respective point of view are the first few parameters I look into before analyzing the root cause. Also, I find out if the conflict is one off between the individuals or is it regular occurrence. Knowing the above inputs aids in being prepared for a 1-1 conversation separately with the team members involved. Most often I observed that it is the way in which certain opinions are aired, rather than the main content, causes impact and conflict.

The first step in resolving conflict is clarifying its source. Defining the cause of the conflict will enable you to understand how the issue came to grow in the first place. Additionally, you will be able to get both parties to consent to what the disagreement is. And to do so, you need to discuss the needs which are not being met on both sides of the issues. Also, you need to warranty mutual understanding. Ensure you obtain as much information as possible on each side’s outlook. Continue asking questions until you are confident that all the conflicting parties understand the issue.

The avoidant conflict resolution style is probably my least favorite. While the avoidant conflict management style aims to sidestep conflict entirely, it becomes ineffective in situations with multiple individuals involved or when strong emotions like anger are present. In these scenarios, simply avoiding the conflict can make the situation worse. If someone is feeling particularly angry or frustrated, the avoidant approach can make them feel ignored and invalidated, further hindering the resolution process. Addressing and acknowledging underlying issues and emotions are crucial for reaching a constructive resolution, which is impossible to achieve if the parties involved try to completely avoid the situation altogether.

In facilitating comstructive dialogue, I always encourage those involved to address the issue and not any person. We are there to discuss matters and not people. Cues such as "That is what you always do", "It is her way of doing things", personalised statement should trigger the facilitator to navigate everyone back to the issues. Ofcourse, in doing so, you too must not make it personal e.g. "Collins, you should stick to the matter and not be talking about Priscilla". A better approach may be to say, "I have heard you. It would be helpful if the main concerns you raised could be distilled furthrt. Can you sumarise your main points".

Requesting the team to look at the data in the common pool rather than selected information from the conversation provides good ground for conversation. I request the members involved to use the GROW model - Goal, Reality, Options, Will, for the discussion. G-what is their objective? R -What is the current situation? O -What options are available mutually accepted? W - How willing the team members are to take actions? One other point to include is the emotions or their feelings. I encourage them to use I statement to describe their feelings when the conflict occurred. After the conflict is resolved, I follow through with the team members on how they are feeling & how they are able to contribute to work.

As a manager resolving conflicts, practice active listening to understand all perspectives impartially. Separate people from the problem, identifying common ground. Encourage open communication in a respectful environment. Collaboratively propose solutions considering everyone's interests. Follow up and monitor progress. Remain objective, avoid taking sides. The goal is finding mutually acceptable solutions that preserve relationships, not winning or losing. Turn conflicts into opportunities for growth through a productive, constructive approach.