Self Help Tips For Professionals - 10 Ways to Strategically Manage Conflict

The best of teams, like the best of families, experience conflict. Conflict in itself is a fact of life. Managed conflict can create healthy issues and strengthen relationships both at work and at home. Conflict resolution, negotiating skills and creative problem-solving are an invaluable set of skills that all managers, team leaders and team members need to have.

Here are ten tips that will help you better handle conflict.

1. Constraints.
Be aware of the "givens" of a situation as the other side perceives them. Know the minimal acceptable settlements. Work with realistic analysis.

2. Perceptual barriers.
Both sides view issues differently. Think of how they see the situation both cognitively and emotionally.

3. Roles.
Avoid defining turf and creating adversartial positions. Redefining roles and abundance thinking facilitate mutual development of answers.

4. Information.
Poor communication and maintenance of secrecy prevents clear understanding. Managed data flows offer the knowledge necessary to arrive at informed resolution.

5. Incompatible objectives.
Alignmemnt is generated by defining resolution with some degree of satisfaction for everyone.

6. Power positions.
Disparity in access to vehicles of influence generates politics, alternative methods and discontent. Application of power has associated direct and indirect consequences.

7. Prior experiences
Education and training dictate acceptable methods of resolution as well of those deemed more likely to secure desired results. Be aware of everyone's history.

8. Uncertainty.
When high levels of ambiguity are present methodology tends to be more vague and tentative. Supply definition.

9. Significance.
Both sides do not always have the same interests in resolution. The side with higher concern and perceived risk experiences greater involvement in the process. Their need to win is higher.

10. Resolution.
Predicated on the resources allocated, people generally have preconceived notions of acceptable resolution. Understand and work within these parameters.

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