Describe the Resolving Conflicts

Managing and resolving conflict requires the ability to quickly reduce stress and bring your emotions into balance. You can ensure that the process is as positive as possible by sticking to the following guidelines:

• Listen for what is felt as well as said. When we listen we connect more deeply to our own needs and emotions, and to those of other people. Listening also strengthens us, informs us, and makes it easier for others to hear us when it's our turn to speak.
• Make conflict resolution the priority rather than winning or "being right." Maintaining and strengthening the relationship, rather than “winning” the argument, should always be your first priority. Be respectful of the other person and his or her viewpoint.
• Focus on the present. If you’re holding on to grudges based on past resentments, your ability to see the reality of the current situation will be impaired. Rather than looking to the past and assigning blame, focus on what you can do in the here-and-now to solve the problem.
• Pick your battles. Conflicts can be draining, so it’s important to consider whether the issue is really worthy of your time and energy. Maybe you don't want to surrender a parking space if you’ve been circling for 15 minutes, but if there are dozens of empty spots, arguing over a single space isn’t worth it.
• Be willing to forgive. Resolving conflict is impossible if you’re unwilling or unable to forgive. Resolution lies in releasing the urge to punish, which can never compensate for our losses and only adds to our injury by further depleting and draining our lives.
• Know when to let something go. If you can’t come to an agreement, agree to disagree. It takes two people to keep an argument going. If a conflict is going nowhere, you can choose to disengage and move on.

Emotional awareness is the key to understanding yourself and others. If you don’t know how you feel or why you feel that way, you won’t be able to communicate effectively or resolve disagreements. Although knowing your own feelings may sound simple, many people ignore or try to sedate strong emotions like anger, sadness, and fear.

Describe the Conflict Solutions

Five Steps to Conflict Resolution

Set the Scene

o Promoting good relationships through mutual respect and courteous behavior is most important.

o Keep the problem separate from the person and debate the real issues.

o Pay attention to each person's interests; listen carefully and respectfully.

o Be open to exploring all options.

In this phase, active listening skills are essential. Restate or paraphrase others’ positions to be sure you hear and understand them correctly.

Gather Information

An important conflict resolution tool, especially in a human resources setting, is the ability to go deeper than the surface to really get an understanding of an individual’s underlying needs, concerns and point of view. To do this effectively, be objective – not personal; and try to view your actions from the standpoint of the other person.

Here are four ways to effectively gather information:

o Identify the issues. Be clear and concise; don’t try to solve too many problems at once.

o Listen with empathy. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and try to really understand how the problem is affecting him or her.

o Use “I” statements. Rather than starting sentences with “you,” which might sound accusatory or lead to defensiveness, try conveying only how you feel and what you observe: “I feel that this problem is affecting the work environment,” or “I’m hearing that this issue is causing you stress outside the office. Is that accurate?”

o Clarify feelings. For instance, don’t assume that a supervisor is angry with a staff person when he actually feels frustrated about their conflicting communication styles.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 799