In your professional life, you've probably seen many people handling conflict poorly. There are so many ways to minimize or maximize conflict: escalating a situation with angry words, ignoring injustice and sweeping it under the rug, or even letting a situation unravel to the point where work cannot get done.
Luckily, you don't have to do any of those things. The art of conflict management is the ability to handle the complex elements of a communication situation that create conflict so that you can work toward a resolution. It's not just about making conflict "go away," but also about everyone involved seeing a path forward. Not everyone will emerge from a conflict thrilled with the results, but in a well-managed conflict, the bonds between individuals are retained so that you can keep learning from each other.
Here are some of the reasons why understanding conflict management matters.
Leaders Without Conflict Management Skills are Less Effective
Almost a third of workplace conflicts are attributed to poor leadership, according to the polling service Gallup. Leaders have the standing in the company to notice when two or more individuals with differing views could benefit from their willingness to “step in” and make a decision based on what they've heard. Some leaders think that just “staying out of it” is the best move, but often, the point of having a strong leadership team is to be able to have someone who is more impartial to evaluate a conflict and create a path forward out of it.
Leaders who don't manage conflicts aren't getting rid of them; they simply sweep them under the rug and hope they won't have to deal with them. Meanwhile, resentment, lower productivity and morale, and even employee turnover can be a result. A great leader, or someone who wants to be seen as having leadership potential, should learn as much as possible about conflict management because the key skills of listening carefully, thinking creatively, and helping a group share a vision are useful even when no one is in an angry shouting match.
Great leaders are managing small, minor conflicts all the time so that they don't have to triage huge, frustrating conflicts as often. You'll see that, when your subordinates feel heard and know that you'll incorporate their feedback, they respond better to your leadership over time.
Your Professional Success is Tied to Well-Managed Conflicts
Studies on conflict management in the workplace reveal that training in conflict resolution skills actually improves many metrics of company success, including teamwork, productivity, and employee satisfaction. What's more, is that you don't have to wait for conflict management to become a corporate priority at your workplace. You can use a course on the Art of Conflict Management from Portland Community College to begin training your brain on a variety of conflict resolution skills. Many of us have mental blocks that we don't notice that end up holding us back in meetings, interpersonal interactions, or client contact, and taking a class can actually result in more professional success for you.
Class is a particularly good place to work out your initial thoughts on conflict management since you'll experience a variety of scenarios and case studies and 'practice' resolutions without having to test your skills immediately in your own real-life circumstances. There are amazing lessons to be gleaned by considering what you would do in a situation, and also by reflecting on conflicts you've witnessed in the past. Your future can be characterized by a better awareness of and a positive approach to conflict.
Beginning the Journey Toward Conflict Management Will Be Rewarding
Whether you start with a class or start by self-reflecting on the recent experience of conflict in your life, accepting that conflict management is worth exploring will bring rewards. These rewards are definitely valuable at work, but you may see elements of them throughout your life:
- It's easier to notice and redirect family members away from conflict and toward helpful strategies.
- You and your friends don't have to talk in circles about your concerns but instead can take decisive action when needed.
- You'll notice ways of speaking that promote and quell conflict, and learn how to speak so as to avoid unnecessarily riling people up.
Many people find that self-improvement journeys, such as learning about conflict management, are rewarding in and of themselves. It feels good to become stronger at a skill and see those results in your daily life. If you want to learn more personal and professional development skills, Portland Community College can assist you in this endeavor. Our team of knowledgeable instructors can help you learn many of the skills that great leaders swear by in our leadership courses. Many of our courses focus on understanding yourself and the people around you better, which is at the heart of conflict management.
