Conflict Resolution Strategies and Skills

Conflict resolution is the process where two or more individuals or groups try to find a mutual solution to a conflict. Conflict is a disagreement or difference between ideas or opinions of two or more individuals or groups. For example, two friends are debating which cafe they should visit. So, now it will involve, both of them mutually trying to decide a cafe where they shall visit.

Conflict can take place between friends, family members, colleagues, officials, states, nations etc. It can range from something as simple as ‘having a conflict about which shade of lipstick to apply’ to something as complex as the ‘conflict between Palestine and Israel’. The time required to resolve conflicts also varies according to their complexity. For example, a friend might help resolve a conflict about the shade of lipstick, but even after negotiations by many nations and their leaders, the conflict between Palestine and Israel remains unresolved.

Why is Conflict Resolution important?

It works to keep people together rather than pulling them apart by finding solutions to their problems. It gives us an insight towards the path of solution of the problem. When individuals handle a conflict poorly, it affects their relationship. Also, it can lead to loss of your time and money. The way you resolve the conflict reflects your personality. For Example: if you deal with the conflict calmly that means you’re willing to find the solution to the problem and you want the conflict to end, which is a good trait.

Benefits of Conflict Resolution

• Builds strong relationships: Having effective resolution skills would lessen the chances of misunderstandings between two individuals or groups. Therefore it’ll keep the warmth in the relationship intact. E.g. having good conflict resolution skills can help a couple enhance their bonding.

• Reduce stress: Resolving conflict can help reduce the stress level of the conflicting groups and save them from the negative effects of stress on the body. E.g. a student is in a conflict about which course to choose but, her teacher with good conflict resolution skills can solve her problem easily.

• Maintain morale: Efficient conflict resolution skills can help prevent the tension between the disagreeing parties from spreading to others and spoiling the environment thus, maintaining morale. E.g. a conflict between two co-workers in the office can spread to the other workers which will affect their working environment but, resolving conflict can maintain their morale to work. 

• Provide insight: Conflict resolution is about solving the difference of opinions and finding a solution. So, while resolving it individuals can gain insight by analyzing each other’s point of view. E.g. two individuals are planning to start a new business but, both have different ideas creating a conflict. Now, if they try to resolve the conflict and analyze each other’s ideas, it can give them an insight into a really good idea.

• Achieve goals: Resolving conflict can increase productivity as it reduces the hindrance towards the goal caused by any conflict. E.g. a company whose objective is to reach a certain goal is facing a conflict between the stakeholders of the company, so resolving this conflict will help them achieve their goal.

Conflict Resolution Strategies

The strategies for resolving the conflict vary according to the person and situation. Here, are the most common strategies used for resolving the conflict:

• Avoiding: It involves simply ignoring the conflict. It may be useful in cases where there is no clear solution. But, not resolving the conflict can cause tension between the conflicting parties.

• Competing: It is an overly assertive strategy used by people who are highly competitive and result-oriented. It involves winning the conflict at any cost and thus doesn’t allow a mutual and cooperative resolution of the conflict.

• Accommodating: It is also known as smoothing, it involves one party accepting the opinion of the other party without any protest to resolve the conflict. It can resolve the conflict in the short term but, only if the conflicting party is flexible and not rigid with their opinions.

• Collaborating: It is one of the good conflict resolution strategies as it involves finding a mutual solution to the problem. Therefore, people also know it as a win-win strategy.

• Compromising: It is also known as a lose-lose strategy as it involves both parties willingly losing some of their needs to reach an agreement where the conflict is resolved. It acts as a temporary solution to avoid the conflict until the parties can find a more permanent solution. 

Conflict Resolution Skills

For resolution of a conflict, an individual should build the following skills:

• Emotional Intelligence: To resolve a conflict, one should be able to manage and regulate their and other’s emotions.

• Leadership Skills: A good leader knows how to build a collaborative environment without involving any conflicts.

• Interpersonal skills: If an individual lacks good interpersonal skills then, they can effectively communicate to resolve any conflict.

• Resource management: Having good resource management skills helps individuals in reducing the chances of conflict.

• Attentiveness and sensitivity: Being attentive helps an individual to be aware of any potential conflict and sensitivity helps in understanding the needs of others which can help in resolving the conflict.

Process of Conflict Resolution

The process involves various steps, beginning from identifying the root cause of the conflict to coming to a resolution style for that conflict. But, this process varies from individual to individual and situation to situation. So, the following are the steps to resolve a conflict:

• Identify the root cause of the conflict: Before beginning with anything, it’s important to know about the main cause of a problem. So, that we know what we are dealing with. 

• Identify the concern of both parties: After understanding the cause of conflict, you’ll need to know about the concerns of the conflicting parties so, that the solution includes a remedy to both of their problems.

• Identify conflict resolution barriers: Having information about the barriers that might act as an obstacle while resolving the conflict is also necessary.

• Choose a conflict resolution strategy: After analyzing and taking into account the previous steps, you have to choose a conflict resolution style that is convenient and efficient for resolving your conflict. 

• Find a solution to the problem: After choosing an appropriate resolution strategy and implementing it, you should have access to a viable solution. Both conflicting parties should accept the solution.
• Check if the conflict persists: Just finding a solution to the conflict doesn’t complete the process but, it’s necessary to ensure that the conflict has been successfully resolved and it doesn’t persist anymore.

It is the process where two or more individuals or groups try to find a mutual solution to a conflict which is a disagreement or difference between ideas or opinions of two or more individuals or groups. It is necessary to resolve the conflict as it helps in keeping people together rather than pulling them apart by finding solutions to their problems. There are many other benefits of resolving the conflict such as building strong relationships, reducing stress, maintaining morale, providing insight and helping in achieving goals.

There are different strategies for resolving conflicts like avoiding, competing, accommodating, collaborating, and compromising. An individual can use these strategies more effectively by developing skills like emotional intelligence, leadership skills, interpersonal skills, resource management, attentiveness, and sensitivity. The process of conflict resolution involves various steps beginning from identifying the root cause of the conflict, identifying the concern of both parties, identifying conflict resolution barriers, choosing a conflict resolution strategy, finding a solution to the problem and at last checking if the conflict persists.

FAQS:

What is conflict resolution?

Conflict resolution is the process where two or more individuals or groups try to find a mutual solution to a conflict which is a disagreement or difference between ideas or opinions of two or more individuals or groups.

Why is conflict resolution necessary?

It is necessary to resolve the conflict as it helps in keeping people together rather than pulling them apart by finding solutions to their problems. There are many other benefits of resolving the conflict such as building strong relationships, reducing stress, maintaining morale, providing insight and helping in achieving goals.

What are conflict resolution strategies?

There are different strategies for resolving conflicts like avoiding, competing, accommodating, collaborating, and compromising.

What are the skills required to resolve a conflict?

The skills required to resolve a conflict are emotional Intelligence, leadership Skills, interpersonal skills resource management, attentiveness and sensitivity.

References +

• Conflict Resolution: Definition, Skills, and More | Mailchimp. (n.d.). Mailchimp. https://mailchimp.com/resources/conflict-resolution-skills/
• Tristancho, C. (2024, July 12). Conflict Resolution: Process, Strategies &  Skills. ProjectManager. https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/conflict-resolution-strategies
• https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/conflict-resolution-skills.htm
• https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/conflict-resolution-strategies