Managing Conflict

Effective managers are successful within the workgroup and organization when a style is used to resolve a conflict. People do experience conflict in their lives. There has always been a lot of interest in how to manage conflict once it appears in the open, and that is important. What is not so common is a concern for preventing unnecessary conflict, so it does not start in the first place. Managers are capable of using all five resolutions skills to deal with conflict in the workplace.

Organizations of all types need good managers in order to survive when dealing with conflicts that will occur within a workplace. Many people holding management positions will be confronted with issues between two people or two groups with opposite goals. An effective manager will recognize sources of conflict and learn to use conflict resolutions to benefit their organization. Managers will be called on to settle the disputes of subordinates, and should never shy away from conflict. The effective handling of conflict is a necessary part of a managerial duty. Recognizing the different aspects of a conflict and the different manners in which conflict escalates allows a manager to deal with situations more effectively. Managers essentially can draw upon conflict resolutions such as avoidance, accommodation, forcing, compromise, and collaboration which are proven to be effective in stimulating constructive conflict in the workplace.

Avoidance involves ignoring or suppressing a conflict. Avoidance is appropriate for trivial issues, when emotions are high and a cooling-off period is needed, or when the cost of confrontation out-weighs the benefits of resolving or worsening problems. Looking the other way can be an effective...

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...forward (Kaye, 1994). Managers need to look at conflict as and opportunity to be effective in using the skills necessary that is important in getting things done. Effective managers need to recognize sources of conflict and learn to use conflict to benefit employees and the organization.

References

Berryman-Fink (1952) The Manager’s Desk Reference. New York, NY: American

Management Association.

Hemmer, M. , ( Ed.). (2003). Issues In Management. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hills

Custom Publishing.

Kaye, K. (1994). Workplace Wars and How to End Them. New York, NY: American

Management Association.

Robbins, S. (1997). Managing Today. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc.

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