How to resolve conflict in organisations

Leaders often speak of team management; how we manage teams to be more effective and to create a healthy environment in which employees thrive, but rarely have we openly discussed how different personalities in the workplace influence the balance of team work and those dynamics that result in conflict. Despite all the best efforts, there are some common workplace conflicts that are impossible to avoid.

These are a reality and being prepared to resolve them as quickly as possible is much more real. Workplace conflict is a result of multiple factors like job dissatisfaction, cultural differences personal aspirations and ambiguous jurisdiction etc. The latter is more difficult to manage. Usually it occurs when individuals have responsibilities that are interdependent but with work boundaries and roles not clearly specified. Ambiguous jurisdiction automatically ropes in power which is one of the core elements of conflict. Power if used efficiently can create an atmosphere of cooperation but can generate conflict when misused, withheld and amassed.

Research has shown that power is a prevalent source of conflict especially where the leadership misuse it. In organisations today some leaders are using power to eliminate people who control their moves, like misusing organisational funds and not wanting to be held accountable. Most employees have unjustifiably lost jobs because they asked a leader to account for their actions. Usually where personal gain is thwarted, conflict becomes the order of the day and usually subordinates fall prey to their bosses.

When   scholars talk of conflict management, they will be referring to the techniques and practises a good leader should embraces to manage conflict. Despite the negative connotations associated with workplace conflict, apt leaders need to turn these around to the advantage of them and business. Doing so requires the skills and art as well as that sense of fairness necessary to bring any two opposite sides to a compromise to work on their differences in a civilised manner. Leaders need to   always introspect their leadership style and work on areas needing change as foremost.

Employees' cultural differences, backgrounds and beliefs can sometimes be sources of conflict. This should not come as a surprise because workplace diversity besides being a favourite buzz word in organisations can be a source of conflict. Always resolve such by reminding people of their similarities instead of accentuating all the ways in which they differ. It has been observed that diverse cognitive preferences can cause tremendous tension in any group yet innovation requires that cross fertilisation of ideas. Business forms today are built on systems rather than standalone pieces and mostly many business projects cannot proceed without the cooperation of people.

Conflict may also not become public but expressed behind the scenes. As best practice, spot out possible disputes and tensions by reading employee behaviours. Some people may be evidently depressed or stressed out but without an enabling mechanism to talk over issues. Watch out for corridor gossips looking out for those cliques that may be whispering to each other in the corridors. When you try to get close, they normally disband quickly.

Shouting is another obvious sign of friction as people audibly express themselves. If employees are becoming more and more agitated you might want to discover their irritability and avoid future problems. During staff meetings look out for staff who do not want to communicate or those who avoid eye contact. Personality traits are awfully common among employees regardless of position. Such a conflict can be a result of a mistaken perception of a co-worker‘s attitude. 

Managers need to be reminded all businesses are embracing innovation as a valuable contribution in business. These different thinking and communication styles inherent in business provide an enabling environment for innovation. Leaders should therefore take the sting out of the intellectual disagreements that may turn personal.  It should be a cultural practice in organisations that employees appreciate that another person‘s approach is not being wrongheaded or stubborn   but merely key elements for diversity. Learning to diffuse anger is a best practice to appreciate your left brained employees and accordingly switch your gears. Learn to understand that someone’s different   view of a problem is not suicidal. An important element is to understand the different thinking styles   and recognising that no one style is inherently better than the other. Each styles brings a uniquely valuable perspective to the process of innovation. Teams need to be open to alien views of the world mindful that these might enhance their own. Teach employees to listen to the ‘aha’ at the intersection of different planes of thoughts.

One paradox to modern management is that in the midst of technological and social change which are so pervasive and rapid almost appearing like out of pace with the rhythm of nature, the human personality has not altered. People have always had distinct preferences in their approaches.  Manage in a way to understand these differences.

Today’s complex business products demand integrating the expertise of individuals who do not innately understand one another. Conflict therefore needs managing in a way that creates constructive impulses of different individuals. 

Emmanuel Jinda is the Managing Consultant of PROSERVE Consulting Group, a leading supplier of Professional Human Resources and Management services locally, regionally and internationally. He can be contacted at Tel: 263 773004143 or 263 242 772778 or visit our website at www.proservehr.com