Conflict Resolution

When you have a job, usually you are expected to have some level of professionalism. When that is lacking, conflict arises. That conflict hurts the company in many ways. It truly is a waste of time (for the individuals and the company), it causes people to make bad decisions (sometimes leaving the company) and it lowers job motivation.


As a manager it is your responsibility to deal with the workplace conflicts and resolve them so you as a group (or department) can move on.


If the conflict is the result of an incident, allow a 24-hour cooling-off period.


The first step after discovering the conflict is to meet each person individually. This will allow you to find out more information about the conflict, learn who all is involved, ask more questions, and establish that you as a manager are the person in charge and overseeing the resolution.

Next, meet with the group of people involved in an atmosphere that will be effective for resolving the conflict (i.e. a neutral place with little distractions). This is more than just meeting and talking about the situation. You must establish the time, the place and that you are the one in charge. Your role, however, will be minimal. After all, the people involved in the conflict are the one's that have to work it out. This group meeting will be a chance for everyone to get both sides of the story and clarify information. Through that you encourage action-oriented solutions. Create a written action plan to clarify responsibilities and establish a timeline for results.


When people work together as a team you accomplish a lot more!