Even the most harmonious work environments can experience issues at various times. Learning how to handle conflict in the workplace effectively sidesteps major problems that can result in serious tension for weeks or months at a time. Thankfully, there are many ways to resolve conflicts that help everyone get past the problem and continue working...
Workplace conflict is inevitable. But peer-to-peer conflict is a bit easier to navigate and overcome than conflict that extends beyond power dynamics in the office. When a boss is in conflict with their employees, turnover, morale, trust, and productivity can take much bigger hits than they may during other types of conflict. This is especially...
Some people default to reactions of aggression when facing challenging situations. When provoked or triggered, these folks don’t typically leave room to try to understand the reasons for a situation or work to seek creative solutions but instead will react quickly and intensely with anger. In these situations, the needs of said person become the...
Running a team is demanding and ensuring business needs are met takes up more time than you have allotted to the job. In kind, conflict is demanding and can take a physical and mental toll on the individuals involved, be they on the ground level of the dispute or at the point of intervention. It...
While your job may not include any responsibilities around conflict or people-management, flexing your conflict resolution skills at work can benefit you in myriad ways. Some people have natural skills and competency around de-escalating tension, communicating fairly, and identifying solutions. If you see yourself in that description, you may want to consider putting those skills...
This week’s conflict resolution tip is about why forgiveness is important in peacebuilding. When we are hurt by someone else, we often like to stay put in our anger and resentment, considering options like forgiveness not viable for us. To a certain extent, this can be seen as true. There is time for anger and...
Summary of: Cohen, J.R. (2020). Negative identity and conflict, 35 Ohio St. J. on Disp. Resol., 737. Background & Theory This article explores negative identity and how this contributes to conflict. Negative identity is defined here as holding an identity because one is not like another person or not part of a specific group. Research Questions Cohen,...
Resolving a conflict at work usually starts with one important skillset that we may be under-resourced in. Personalities may clash, priorities may misalign, and work styles may create just enough friction for a full-blown conflict to emerge between colleagues. Whether you’re one of the colleagues involved or the manager of these colleagues, there is an...
Summary of: Levy Paluck, E., Porat, R., Clark, C. S., & Green, D. P. (2021). Prejudice reduction: Progress and challenges. Annual Review of Psychology, 72, 533-560. Background & Theory This article is a meta-analysis of prejudice reduction research (dating back to 2007), and provides an understanding of what we have discovered, what was done well,...
