Q & A Table of Contents
Managing -- or Failing to Manage Conflict At Work
From: Ed, San Antonio, Texas
Question:My company is in start-up and during our development we find many issues of conflict. We are trying to create a Conflict Management System (CMS) whereby we can negotiate effectively in all areas of business. My questions is as follows;
What are some of the pros and cons for an organization implementing a CMS?
Response: Managing conflict in business needs to be looked at from two angles. The first is how to manage conflict among the owners and managers regarding macro issues such as financing, marketing, business planning, hiring, competition, purchasing, etc. The other issue is how to deal with conflict between and/or among employees.
Employee conflict is often handled by company personnel who have been trained as mediators or facilitators. In large organizations, this is generally viewed as part of the Human Resources function. Sometimes conflict management people are also skilled at dealing with those substance abuse and other personal problems usually handled by Employee Assistance Programs.
Proper training in the skills necessary for conflict prevention, management, and resolution is obviously crucial. You need to look at the conflicts that have arisen thus far, as well as those you can imagine could occur in the future, to determine whether the needed training should be focused on negotiation, mediation, or some other means for keeping things on an even keel.
When it comes to the macro decision-making and conflict resolution at the top management level, unless there is a particularly strong individual who is THE BOSS and whom everyone will obey, it makes particularly good sense to think of negotiation as a core competency required of everyone. Using training as a mechanism for developing a successful corporate conflict resolution culture can often make a tremendous difference.
There are a variety of reasons organizations don't create or support conflict resolution systems. Here are a few:
- The company may be too small
- Its culture may be authoritarian
- The management style is 'divide and conquer'
- Management may not be aware of the existence of conflict -- or even the value of cooperative decision-making
The question for you to ask is which style you think is most appropriate for your organization.
Good luck as you develop your new business,
Steve
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