Recently while working with a group, I posed the question, "when you think of conflict what words come to mind?" Words like resentment, fear, challenge, stress and anger hit the flipchart immediately. It is no wonder that individuals tend to be conflict averse. However, there is another side to conflict. When conflict is managed and resolved it can create more innovative, creative, and synergistic solutions.
It starts with belief. Do you see conflict as something to be avoided or something to be embraced? Do you see it as a setback or a normal part of everyday interactions? The choice is yours. The more you embrace conflict, the more willing you are to address it.
In this four part series on conflict resolution, let us begin by defining the word. My favorite textbook definition comes from Conflict Diagnosis and Alternative Dispute Resolution by Lauri S. Coltri. She defines conflict as follows:
"The percieved and/or actual incompatibility of needs, interests and/or goals between two or more interdependent parties."
It is easy to see from this definition how conflict can occur in organizations on a day-to-day basis.
There is also the impact ongoing conflict has in organizations. Psychometrics Canada surveyed 350 Human Resources Professionals. The survey found the following:
It starts with belief. Do you see conflict as something to be avoided or something to be embraced? Do you see it as a setback or a normal part of everyday interactions? The choice is yours. The more you embrace conflict, the more willing you are to address it.
In this four part series on conflict resolution, let us begin by defining the word. My favorite textbook definition comes from Conflict Diagnosis and Alternative Dispute Resolution by Lauri S. Coltri. She defines conflict as follows:
"The percieved and/or actual incompatibility of needs, interests and/or goals between two or more interdependent parties."
It is easy to see from this definition how conflict can occur in organizations on a day-to-day basis.
There is also the impact ongoing conflict has in organizations. Psychometrics Canada surveyed 350 Human Resources Professionals. The survey found the following:
- 43% have witnessed someone being fired as a result of conflict
- 81% of those surveyed have seen conflict lead to someone leaving the organization
- 77% have seen it result in sickness or absence
The replacement cost of individuals alone is expensive for organizations. Additional research demonstrates the cost of conflict as follows:
- Watson and Hoffman in an early study found that practicing managers spend 42% of their time reaching agreement with others when conflict occurred.
- Estimates are the 65% of performance problems result from strained relationships with co-workers (MTI)
- According to a Fortune Magazine survey, resolution of employee disputes consumes 20% of a top executive's time.
For these, and many other reasons, we will be discussing conflict. What it is, and how to resolve it. We welcome your discussion and feedback over the next month as we delve into this topic. So how does conflict impact your organization?
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