Conflicts and Conflict Management
The one thing that is common to almost every entity is Conflicts….
You can categorize them in any number of ways…
– Idea conflicts: What do we want to accomplish
– Process conflicts: How do we want to get it done
– Task conflicts: Who will do what
– Resource conflicts: Who will work with whom
– Personal conflicts: And if any of the conflicts listed above are not resolved, personal conflicts will more than likely arise…
Where the first four types of conflicts involve people disagreeing with what has to be done or the manner in which it may be accomplished, personal conflicts end up with people disagreeing with other people as opposed to ideas!!!
It is usually easy to resolve the first four types of conflicts as they are easy to explain and understand… in resolving those conflicts, logic and reason work!!! And for anyone that is good with conflict management, such conflicts could present opportunities to create new and more productive outcomes…
But in personal conflicts, two people can take the same information and process it completely differently…. They are both usually convinced that their position is the correct one.
The problem with someone thinking that he is right is that the others are necessarily wrong and there in lies the challenge….
It is not easy to solve personal conflicts and the leader has a vital role to play in enabling their resolution….
I have found in most cases that working to please individuals does not bring forth any positive result. Focus instead on doing what is right for the organization and present achieving the outcome as the reason for people to let go of personal opinions and prejudices. You will quickly find out who is in it for the benefit of the organization and who is not…
Either case, if a clear alternative does not emerge as the consensus of the group, you as the leader have the authority to call the shot and solicit commitment…
Remember! Not all personal conflicts can be solved nor need be solved!!! It is not about resolving conflicts as much as it is about managing around them…
