Ah, conflict is an unavoidable part of our working day and lives, no matter how zen we (ahem – *I) may claim to be at all times.

A brief bicker with your significant other about what the Friday night telly viewing may be; a heated yet friendly debate between mates about whose sports team is the best and why; even a terrible tantrum between toddlers about who was playing with a toy first, these are all quickly forgotten as events and conversations move on.

On many occasions, a bit of conflict is harmless. It may even be good for us; it can open up new avenues of possibilities we hadn’t previously considered. (For instance, if my family never challenged me on what I wanted to watch, I would have missed out on such gems as Derry Girls and Broadchurch).

But what about when conflict is less positive? When it’s in a work environment with colleagues rather than in a pub with pals, or between global superpowers rather than squabbling two-year-olds (though these latter situations may look rather similar at times if you take a step back).

Disagreements can happen for a myriad of reasons and when they do, they can result in multiple people feeling frustrated, angry, upset and uncomfortable. When these disagreements escalate and remain unresolved, the situation is not positive and can often be detrimental to the working environment and progress on projects and delivery of work.

So, how can we ensure that any conflict is resolved with minimal disruption and positive outcomes for all parties? There are many studies and models on conflict resolution in the workplace that we can refer to, yet what I interpret as central to any conflict resolution is listening; listening to what the crux of the issue is, listening to what the conflicting parties want, helping the parties to listen to each other find an optimum resolution for both. It may seem like a simple theory, but when dealing with people with conflicting views and under stress, the practice may be a little harder!

We here at ABPM+ consider ourselves to be experts at dealing with people – in fact, it’s one of the highlights of our job! We are dedicated to supporting you in key moments of your career, helping you progress to the next level. Contact us today to find out how.

 

Rej Abraham, Sarah Torrington, Matt Byrne, Alex Handford