We often see conflict as destructive and it can be if mishandled. When you handle conflict well it can lead to magnificent creativity and growth.

What are the issues about managing conflict?  

People are different we are all utterly unique. We sometimes want different things at different times or have different beliefs about what is important. Although I am not sure that conflict is inevitable, it happens because of these differences. 

Unfortunately, most have us have been in conflict with parents, teachers or other people in authority at some time in our lives and these people often don't handle conflict elegantly. Coercion, bribery, manipulation or avoidance is common and when we experience these, we feel awful! It is hard to think about resolving conflict creatively with this weight of history behind us. 

Where there is a history of conflict between groups, it is even more difficult. If you have heard for years that "You can't our trust finance people" or "Our engineers are always stupid and aggressive", it is ever so hard to forget that conditioning when you have a difference with one, or your group with their group. (I know trustworthy finance people and gentle, clever engineers. This is just an illustration!) 

Common humanity, common vision  

Conflict is not inevitable. I have done a lot of vision building work with groups and have always found that when you have established enough connection and sharing people always want the same thing. For example, a group of production workers and their manager wanted "Everything running smoothly". 

Tools and stories 

Put the other parties position 

Many conflicts are not "real" but come from misunderstanding often caused by not listening. You can help by asking A, or group A, to put B's argument and then to check back with A that B has got it right, modify the argument if they need to and put it again until it is right. This compels careful and active listening. Then you reverse roles and do it again.

A story

I was facilitating a week's workshop with a group of very senior police officers. They were going to do a project with a rural police force but all worked in cities. They had a lot of thinking and planning to do. "John" and "Fred" were arguing. This took all the energy of the group. Everyone found this entertaining but it was going nowhere. 

I asked them to stop and put each other's argument. Fred had understood John's argument perfectly but John had not understood Fred's at all well. He had not been able to hear it. When Fred helped John understand Fred's argument clearly, they realised that their positions were quite close and they agreed what they should do very quickly. This saved lots of time and aggravation and they learned about the value of listening. 

Change the process

Sometimes it is obvious why a conflict between people stays unresolved. Perhaps they have a destructive process of blaming each other or not listening. You can often help by helping them notice how they interact and then invite them to change. You can't compel them. 

A story

I was working with a married couple. "George" was a very small quiet man and "Mary" was large and loud. Mary complained that George did not talk to her and spent every evening in the shed on his hobbies. I noticed that whenever George tried to put his point of view (that Mary was not interested in him and was so talkative he needed to escape!) that Mary interrupted him. Then George went even quieter. 

When she interrupted again, I asked them in turn what had just happened. It took several goes but they both realised what was going on and Mary got a bit better at not interrupting and George seemed to open up a bit.  I was amazed next week to find them so much happier. Mary had started listening to George and was enjoying it and George was spending much less time in the shed!  

One person can work out what is going on and change it 

You don't need two people or parties to be directly engaged in resolving conflict. If you can help one party think clearly about what is going on, that can be enough. It is clear that if you change from blaming and attacking someone to trying to understand their position then things will change. 

I learned an excellent analytical tool "Seven Column Analysis" from Chris Bull. The most common problems that it surfaces are distorted communication. What you say does not reflect what you feel. You may make false assumptions about what the other person needs or wants. When you know what is going on you can change what you do and it will often make a difference. 

Traps for the unwary 

Getting too involved in solving the problem 

It is hard to take responsibility for resolving your own conflicts. It is much easier to blame the other party or pass the problem to someone else, like your boss. If you are trying to help people resolve conflict it is very important to push back the responsibility to resolve the conflict to the people involved.

One manager would put the parties in a room; tell them how he would judge the solution they produced and leave them to get on with producing one. It was their problem. 

People don't always want to resolve the conflict 

Unresolved conflict can meet emotional needs. People like to have appreciation and nice things said about and to them (in Transactional Analysis "A Warm Fuzzy") but if you can't get a warm fuzzy (positive attention) then the opposite, criticism and nasty things, a "Cold Prickly", (negative attention) is very much better than no attention at all. Having a fight can get you noticed by others and being in one at least means someone knows you are there! 

A story 

I worked with a couple that had violent rows (US-fights). They said they wanted their relationship to be better but week after week, they rowed in front of me. Eventually I got it. They did not want to stop rowing; they wanted to have someone notice how good they were at it. When I faced them with this they initially denied it and then grudgingly admitted it and left arm in arm. People are so complicated! 

Don't expect miracles  

Resolving conflict can take a lot of time. You may have to listen to both sides separately before you can bring them together. If attitudes are deeply entrenched, you may fail. Then it may be best for them to minimise the interaction or leave the relationship.

Conflict between groups 

People need to feel good in their own group before they will listen to people in another group. This simple principle leads to elegant ways to resolve conflict between groups. If you would like to know more, please contact me directly.  

Sharing

Please use any of the buttons below to share this article more widely.