How can you use conflict resolution skills in real estate?

1 Identify the sources of conflict

In order to resolve any conflict, it is essential to comprehend the root causes and the interests and needs of each involved party. Miscommunication or misunderstanding of expectations, terms, or deadlines, varying values, goals, or perspectives, personality clashes or emotional reactions, and external factors such as market conditions, legal issues, or personal circumstances are some of the most common sources of conflict in real estate. To identify the sources of conflict, it is important to actively listen, ask open-ended questions, and clarify any assumptions or ambiguities. Additionally, one should acknowledge the emotions and feelings of each party and avoid blaming, judging, or criticizing.

2 Choose the appropriate style

The next step in resolving conflict is to choose the most suitable style for the situation and the relationship. There are five main styles of conflict resolution, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Competing involves asserting your position and trying to win the argument, which can be effective when you have a strong case or a high stake, but it can damage the relationship. Accommodating means yielding to the other party and trying to satisfy their needs, which can be beneficial when you value the relationship more than the issue, but it can undermine your credibility. Avoiding involves ignoring or withdrawing from the conflict and postponing or sidestepping the issue, which can be useful when the issue is trivial, but it can worsen the problem. Compromising entails negotiating and finding a middle ground that partially satisfies both parties, which is effective when the issue is moderately important, but it may result in a suboptimal solution. Finally, collaborating means cooperating and finding a win-win solution that fully satisfies both parties, which is beneficial when the issue is complex, but it can be time-consuming.