Conflict resolution may seem like a buzzword that is thrown around a lot in the business world, but it’s actually a term found everywhere from schools to workplaces to diplomatic situations. It is so prevalent that Forbes published an article on the top five strategies to resolve conflicts. Here is a short summary of the method and what it entails.
Definition
Conflict resolution is defined as a set of methods and procedures that identify a conflict and work to resolve it in a peaceful manner. It is a subfield of applied psychology and is often known as dispute resolution in legal cases. Although the field and professional research in the field is relatively new, humans have always engaged in some form of resolution to conflicts, albeit in wildly different manners.
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Environments
Dispute resolution, the alternative name for the field, is used in practically every possible environment one can think of, including personal issues. However, it is mostly researched and used in professional environments. This includes the workplace, on the political stage, and in legal cases. In fact, court cases and legislative processes are the foundation of the field. Since its establishment as a viable field of psychology, the method has become integral to workplace environments, especially high-stress industries such as the technology, business, financial, and trade industries.
Model
The purveying model of this kind of resolution is called the dual concern model. It is based on the idea that conflicts arise out of human nature and there, too, can be found the solution. The model works based on an individual or party’s concern for themselves and concern for others. While the concerns may not be balanced, the idea that airing those concerns may help rebalance them so that a resolution can be met by all the parties concerned in the conflict. Because many conflicts may include more than two parties, the dual concern model is built on approaching each party to understand their needs and concerns prior to moving forward with the resolution process.
Styles
There are different types of conflict styles, all which play a role in how a resolution is found for any particular situation. They can be seen as different spots on a dual concern spectrum, ranging from too much concern for others, or no concern for others, to balanced concerns for all parties involved. While there is not enough room here to discuss all styles, they are as follows: avoidance, which is characterized by withdrawal from a conflict; yielding, or the accommodation of another party’s demands with little concern for self; competitive, which maximizes concern for self; conciliation, which is characterized by an intermediate concern for all parties involved, and cooperation, an active concern for all parties involved.
Process
The process for this type of resolution may seem straightforward; in reality, it can take months, sometimes years, to come to a viable solution. However, it all begins with all the parties involved understanding that a problem exists and a willingness to find a resolution. Then all parties must air out their concerns and listen to others in order to identify the causes of the conflict. At this point, intervention from an appropriate third party may be required. The process concludes by all parties willing to compromise, agreeing on a solution, and moving forward. Depending on the environment in which this resolution occurs, the conclusion may lead to the removal of individuals from a process or legal action.
Conflicts can arise in every type of situation, in every environment, and between individuals, families, communities, companies, and even countries. It is important to find a resolution to conflicts before they get out of hand and cause larger issues. With the above information, everyone can understand and research how to utilize conflict resolution to the best of their ability.
Source: Forbes