How can you align conflict assessment with business goals?

1 Define your goals and scope

Before you start a conflict assessment, you need to clarify what you want to achieve and how you will measure your success. Your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, you may want to improve customer satisfaction, reduce employee turnover, or increase collaboration among teams. You also need to define the scope of your assessment, such as the level, duration, and frequency of conflict, the parties involved, and the resources available.

2 Choose an appropriate tool

There are many tools and methods to conduct a conflict assessment, depending on your goals, scope, and context. Some common tools are surveys, interviews, focus groups, observation, and document analysis. You can use one or a combination of these tools to collect data and information about the conflict situation. You should choose a tool that is reliable, valid, and ethical, and that suits your budget, time, and skills.

3 Analyze and interpret the data

Once you have collected the data, you need to analyze and interpret it to identify the key themes, patterns, and insights. You can use qualitative or quantitative methods, or a mix of both, to organize, code, and synthesize the data. You should look for the root causes, effects, and consequences of the conflict, as well as the interests, needs, and positions of the parties. You should also consider the context, culture, and power dynamics that influence the conflict.

4 Communicate and validate the findings

After you have analyzed and interpreted the data, you need to communicate and validate your findings with the relevant stakeholders. You should present your findings in a clear, concise, and credible way, using charts, graphs, tables, or other visual aids. You should also explain your methodology, assumptions, and limitations, and invite feedback and questions. You should validate your findings by checking for accuracy, consistency, and completeness, and by addressing any gaps or discrepancies.

5 Develop and implement action plans

Based on your findings, you need to develop and implement action plans to address the conflict and achieve your goals. Your action plans should be realistic, feasible, and flexible, and should include specific steps, responsibilities, timelines, and indicators. You should also involve the parties in the planning process, and seek their buy-in and commitment. You should implement your action plans in a timely and effective manner, and monitor and evaluate your progress and outcomes.

6 Review and learn from the process

Finally, you need to review and learn from the conflict assessment process, and make adjustments as needed. You should reflect on what worked well and what did not, and what you learned about the conflict and yourself. You should also solicit feedback from the parties and other stakeholders, and acknowledge their contributions and achievements. You should document and share your lessons learned, and apply them to future conflict situations and assessments.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?