Conflicts in Organization- Core Behavioral Issues

Successful people believe that when ideas conflict, creativity emerges.?But, what about organizational conflicts? Conflict in the organization can be constructive or destructive.?During my experience as a coach, I believe conflict formation and the ways to resolve it is a learning process.?

Consider this situation below:?

Adam, Max, Julie and Nathan have been working on an important project. Adam is unmotivated and believes he can invest in other projects than the allotted one. Max is energetic, but unorganized. Julie believes in order and direction, hence, believes in team work and taking up the leader role. Nathan is straightforward, follows quick and swift actions, group work doesn’t interest him, he feels it’s a waste of time and affects productivity.?

Clearly, different personalities or work styles are clashing. But, independently they can be an asset to the organization. Organizations are responsible for creating a work environment that enables people to thrive. The reason behind any conflict is miscommunication between individuals concerning needs, ideas, beliefs, goals, or values. If disagreement and differences of opinion escalate into conflict then the organization must intervene immediately.??The conflict may lead to nonproductive results, or can be positively resolved leading to positive outcomes.?

Few realms of coaching are built on the principles of psychology. Every behaviour is for a reason. So there are always core issues beneath conflicts. The organization which takes time to dig deeper to find the root cause, excels better.?

So, what are the 9 ‘Core Issues’ and how do they look like, behaviorally??

Conflicts can occur because of the task, relationship, or process-related issues between personnel. But how does it look like behaviorally? People may experience, show conflicts through behaviors and by using defence mechanisms.?

For example, it can be “Let’s not talk about it” or “Avoiding people and situations” or “Complain”, “Gossip” and/or “Grouping” and may lead to “do now want to share information” and “Total silence”.?

All in all you know that the conflict exists in an organization when….

1. Body language?– Employees start bottling up their problems, resulting into flashing inappropriate body language. Such as, avoiding eye contact?showing nervousness, crossed arms showing defensiveness. Frowning?to express discontent and sometimes anger towards a person and/or situation.

2. Behavioral changes?–?Changes in normal behaviour show that something is wrong. For example, people may withdraw from situations, not contribute, and remain quiet, even though this is out of their usual character.

3. Clique formation?–?Employees are expected to work together as a team for the benefit of the company. Ganging up, forming or creating groups to divide is a usual common immediate defence mechanism seen in the organizations.?

4. Slowed productivity?– When people feel unhappy in their work environment, their morale and motivation tend to decrease, and they focus less on their work. If one notices a reduction in productivity, it is important to consider the issue urgently.?

5.?Words and comments?– The way employees express themselves verbally can indicate if conflict is occurring. If people are upset, their words become much more emotive. One may also notice sly and odd comments made between people, and some employees may even be rude and inappropriate towards others.

6. Complaints?– Listen to how people talk about their job, colleagues, and their work. If they frequently complain, this indicates dissatisfaction and may be a sign of conflict. Extra care to focus on any negative responses in staff surveys.

7. Loss of trust?–?Trust is vital in workplaces. Employees must be able to trust each other and people in management. Distrust may indicate conflict and feelings of anxiety.

8. Increased sickness levels?–?Higher sickness levels can indicate staff dissatisfaction and a lack of willingness to come into work. Furthermore, frequent conflicts can lead to mental health implications such as stress, anxiety, and depression. People who experience conflict may seem anxious and on-edge. For example, they may avoid social interactions and constantly question their work.If there is a noticeable pattern one must consider the cause.?

9. High staff turnover?– A higher number of staff leaving is a red alert. There is always a reason. It is important to investigate and make possible ways to retain the current employees.?

?6 Excellent Strategies to Resolve Conflicts

While dealing with conflicts, a larger part of the research mentions the power of keeping the channels of communication open. Listening to employee concerns is important, but prior to listening, creating a safe space for them to share is crucial. For communication, a conducive environment is important.?A major part of resolving involves targeting the underlying problem than what appears to be at the surface.?

Strategy 1. Acknowledge that a difficult situation exists.?Honesty and clear communication play an important role in the resolution process. Being aware and open about the problem.?For me this feels like an ice breaker.?As not everyone is ready to address the issue or ‘talk about it’.??

Strategy 2. Let individuals express their feelings.?Some feelings of anger and/or hurt usually accompany conflict situations. They need to be expressed and acknowledged first, before any kind of problem-solving can take place.?

Strategy?3. Define the problem. This seems like a strenuous task and too technical to follow. But, it is necessary to know the scenario. What is the stated problem? It is important to state the problem objectively. Conflicts can also be based on assumptions and distorted perceptions. A meet with employees separately at first and then question them about the situation.

Strategy?4. Determine underlying need. The goal of conflict resolution is not to decide which person is right or wrong; the goal is to reach a solution that everyone can live with. Looking first for needs, rather than solutions, is a powerful tool for generating win/win options.?

Strategy?5. Find common areas of agreement, no matter how small

• Agree on the problem
• Agree on the procedure to follow
• Agree on worst fears
• Agree on some small change to give an experience of success

Strategy?6. Determine a follow up after few weeks and also the next steps if the conflict goes unresolved.?If the conflict is causing a disruption in the department and it remains unresolved, you may need to explore other avenues.

Hence, if?Adam, Max, Julie and Nathan?establish a plan of action, a process to share opinions and agree on common grounds with regards to the project execution, they may perform with the best of their capacities and contribute effectively.?

So, all in all, it’s a process. It would be a rare case or impossible scenario for an organization to not have conflicts at all. The mere existence of conflicts itself indicates the employee’s urge to share ideas. If you possess leadership skills, you will be able to turn the tables. The approaches may vary, but the goal is one i.e to create a safe space to thrive and grow.?

What are your thoughts? What ideas do you wish to share to other leaders?

If you think you need support, please connect with me happy to partner in your journey email me?[email protected]

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