Why you need conflict resolution skills
Conflict is a normal part of life. It is particularly inevitable in the workplace. We’ve all been in situations where people have battled. They’ve had different goals and clashing needs, argued about how to find common ground. Conflict resolution skills are essential in all facets of life to ensure these arguments are resolved without anyone coming to blows.
Conflict isn’t necessarily a bad thing – it is how you go about resolving that conflict which is important. This is why conflict resolution skills are important.
When you’re going into a conflict resolution process, it is important to know what you can expect. The negotiation will likely include these five stages:
Preparation and planning – The stage will include planning what should be discussed, who should be invited to the meeting and when the negotiation will take place.
Agenda setting – This is the process to decide what the areas of concern are and what should be discussed. It will also be decided in which order these should be discussed.
Making proposals – This is the point where parties will discuss their interests, that which is important to them. It is the responsibility of the mediator to find common ground between the parties.
Bargaining – In this stage, each party begins to make small concessions. Each party will likely have a predetermined bargaining zone where they feel comfortable.
Finalising agreement – The agreement will be finalised when both parties meet on common ground. Ideally both parties will achieve the outcome they hoped for without having to give up too much.
Common examples of conflict resolution includes an employer and employee negotiating salary, and two people negotiating when work will be completed when time is limited. It is important to resolve these conflicts in a way which suits both parties. If an agreement can’t be reached, they will have to find legal assistance to resolve the conflict in a more formal setting.
Conflict resolution is important not only in these professional settings, but also in your personal life. Conflicts which arise in daily life could include arguments over household chores and budgets. These disagreements – although not quite as serious – can use the same stages of conflict resolution.
As you become more aware of these five stages, you will increasingly begin to apply them in daily situations. Soon arguments and disagreements won’t escalate into full-blown conflicts because they will have been managed before reaching that stage.