Conflict Resolution in the Workplace: 5 Tips for Leaders

Conflict happens. It’s unavoidable, but not necessarily bad. In fact, conflict can be a positive. This is not to say that daily brawls over who forgot to refill the Keurig are constructive, but conflict can be healthy. If mismanaged, however, conflict can intensify and may eventually turn into workplace bullying. If managed effectively, conflict can be productive. Here are a few steps for successful conflict resolution in your workplace.

1. Remain neutral (when and if possible).

As a leader, you must not jump to conclusions or be quick to take a side. There are multiple sides to every story, after all. The Rashomon effect (named after Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 film, Rashomon) holds that people can witness the same event yet perceive and interpret it differently. This disparity is due to each person’s unique experiences and background, which informs how every individual person understands the world. In conflict resolution, this means that two reasonable people can experience the same event or receive the same information yet come to two different conclusions. Staying objective will help you see the reasoning of each party. (Note: There are, of course, situations where one person is clearly in the wrong. Those instances call for disciplinary measures rather than conflict resolution.)

2. Get to the heart of the problem.

What is the real issue? Why are your employees fighting? Let’s look at an example. Waverly and Tucker seemed to bicker over every little thing once they were put into the same small office. Randy, their manager, was tempted to chalk it up to a clash in personalities. Instead, he asked each in private what was wrong. Tucker claimed that Waverly was “too sensitive.” Waverly explained that Tucker had made her feel uncomfortable many times: she’d caught him trying to unlock her personal cell phone and even noticed him following her out to the parking lot. Once Randy understood what the conflict was about, he was able to address it properly (moving Waverly to another office and officially reprimanding Tucker via HR).

3. Maintain the proper perspective.

Objectivity does not mean lack of empathy. Avoid sarcasm or judgement and try to understand why the issue is so important to the participants. Willa and Xavier were coworkers who fought over the same lunch slot. While this argument seemed silly to manager Nicole, she realized that it was important to the people upset over it. Nicole discovered that Willa just preferred to eat an early lunch, while Xavier needed to check in with his elderly mother’s caregiver by a certain time every day.

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