How have you mastered advanced conflict resolution techniques?

2 Choose the appropriate style

Not all conflicts are the same, and neither are the ways to deal with them. Depending on the situation, you may need to adopt different styles of conflict resolution, ranging from competitive to collaborative, from accommodating to avoiding, or from compromising to integrating. Each style has its advantages and disadvantages, and you should consider factors such as the urgency, importance, complexity, and relationship of the conflict before choosing one. For example, if the conflict is low-priority and involves minor differences, you may opt for a compromising or avoiding style to save time and energy. However, if the conflict is high-stakes and involves multiple perspectives, you may prefer a collaborative or integrating style to create a win-win outcome and preserve the relationship.

3 Use emotional intelligence

Emotions play a significant role in any conflict, as they can influence how people perceive, communicate, and react to the situation. As a supervisor, you need to use your emotional intelligence to manage your own emotions and those of others, and to avoid making the conflict worse or personal. To use your emotional intelligence, you should practice self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills. For example, you should be aware of your triggers, biases, and reactions, and control them accordingly. You should also empathize with the feelings and perspectives of others, and use respectful and constructive language and gestures.

4 Apply creative problem-solving

Sometimes, resolving a conflict requires more than just finding a common ground or a compromise. It may require generating new and innovative ideas that can satisfy the needs and interests of all parties, and create value for the organization. To apply creative problem-solving, you should follow a structured process that involves defining the problem, generating alternatives, evaluating options, and implementing solutions. You should also use techniques such as brainstorming, mind mapping, SWOT analysis, and SCAMPER to stimulate your creativity and generate diverse and original ideas.

5 Involve a third party

In some cases, you may not be able to resolve a conflict by yourself, either because you are part of the conflict, or because the parties involved do not trust or cooperate with you. In such situations, you may need to involve a third party, such as a mediator, arbitrator, or facilitator, who can help to create a neutral and safe space for dialogue, clarify the issues, and guide the parties towards a resolution. However, you should be careful when choosing a third party, as they should have the appropriate skills, experience, and credibility to handle the conflict effectively and ethically. You should also communicate clearly with the third party and the parties involved about the goals, expectations, and boundaries of the intervention.

6 Evaluate and follow up

The last step to master advanced conflict resolution techniques is to evaluate and follow up on the outcome of the conflict resolution process. This will help you to ensure that the solution is implemented correctly, that the parties are satisfied and committed, and that the conflict does not reoccur or escalate. To evaluate and follow up, you should use methods such as feedback, surveys, interviews, or observation to measure the impact and effectiveness of the solution, and to identify any gaps, challenges, or opportunities for improvement. You should also provide support, recognition, and coaching to the parties involved, and to foster a culture of learning and collaboration in your team.

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?