Does mediation really work in instances of workplace conflict? Conflict at work can be distracting. It can also hinder performance, increase costly employee turnover, and lead to potential legal issues. These consequences become increasingly likely if the conflict or related tensions have been brewing chronically or over a long period of time. Mediation can...
If you find yourself in a situation where you’ve wronged someone in some way, you likely have had the feeling that you need to apologize to them. But apologizing is often much easier said than done. When we find ourselves in these situations, we often wonder how to give a sincere apology that repairs some,...
This week’s conflict resolution tip is about the importance of validating and aligning when in conflict. Validation and alignment are a great formula for peacebuilding in many contexts. First, it is important to understand that validating is essentially a form of effective listening. A formula for validation might look something like this: Validate = Concerns...
There are many different types of relationships in a workplace that can experience the negative effects of conflict. While we’ve discussed conflict between team members, customers, and managers, it’s also important to discuss how to repair a relationship with a business partner after experiencing some foundation-shaking tensions. How to Repair a Relationship with a Business...
What makes a peaceful person? This question is something everyone from parents to organizational leaders want the answer to. For people interested in developing themselves and others into more peaceful people, understanding the keys to being a peaceful person is crucial. A 2021 review of research on peace focused on establishing a psychological foundation for...
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...
Substantive conflict in the workplace revolves around how the work is getting done. Unlike conflicts that stem from personality conflicts or high stress, this type of conflict reveals gaps in performance as well as the root causes of those gaps. For this reason, substantive conflict can be utilized to strengthen how the team works together...
This week’s conflict resolution tip is about what it means to start from the other’s reality when in conflict. Perspective-taking is a popular term in the conflict resolution world, primarily because it is a foundational concept for anyone looking to bring peace into their lives. Often, when two people get into conflict with one another,...
Earlier this year, we wrote a summary of a research paper that studied societies with inherent peace systems and came up with eight actionable keys to a peaceful organization. The paper focused on peace systems through anthropological and historical literature and their correlation with certain identified peace values. While it was often believed that all...
