Conflict can be triggered even by trivial animosities. Simple feelings of envy or jealousy inflamed into biases and prejudices, trivial issues aggravated into irritation and resentment, or feelings of insecurity or loss of morale exacerbated into doubt and distrust may worsen into real conflict and damaging problems unless timely and properly addressed. Hence, conflict is best managed prior not after triggers happen. The key is to readily established processes where issues are threshed-out and resolved before they worsened into conflict and develop real problems. And the key is simple though crucial- talk.
Managing human relations in any organization whether it is as small as a family or as large as a multinational corporation, is very complex. It requires processes that would enhance dialogue, understanding, co-existence, cooperation, collaboration and harmony. And such processes are best tailored from conflict management strategies that are deemed to effect win-win situations for everyone.
In almost all discussions about conflict management strategies, the following cycle of strategies are deemed to effect win-win situations:
1. Confronting – Rather than ignored or neglected or stifled, issues regardless how trivial are best taken-up in a cordial moderated discussion. Before they escalate into full blown conflict and damaging problems issues and perceived resolutions must be laid on a formal table of discussion regardless how confrontational they become. A good moderator is imperative in this strategy whose role is to ensure- that the discussion goes cordial and in order regardless how confrontational it can become; that everyone is given enough time to express views and feelings on the issues; and that everyone is able to suggest how to resolve the issues. The manager is the best person to serve as moderator given his direct knowledge of the environment surrounding the issues and personalities involved; that is however, if he has the required strong communications skills.
2. Problem Solving – Measures based on the suggested resolutions to issues must be carefully planned and implemented. They must really gear towards resolving the issues otherwise the first strategy becomes futile and the issues may remain unresolved lest worsen into full blown problems.
3. Collaboration – No measures regardless how carefully planned can effectively resolve issues unless they are collaboratively implemented by everyone. Everyone must have a stake in realizing the goals for which the first and second strategies were done.
The Confronting-Problem Solving-Collaboration conflict management strategies are not a one-time thing but a cycle of threshing-out issues and collaboratively implementing problem solving measures until the most ideal circumstance or situation is achieved. New issues may arise after implementing a problem solving measure, hence, must be dealt with again following the cycle of strategies until the measures are perfected and everyone collaborating in its implementation feels that the issues and problems are already resolved. These are likewise adaptable in setting goals for productivity. Gathering the views of all the workers involved in the production line as to how production can be improved is vital in making them collaborate in implementing the forged measures in order to achieve production goals.
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