Background information on conflict management

Managing Conflict In Everyday Life

Many everyday situations in organisations fuel conflicts. For example, the favouring of differing problem-solving strategies or competition among colleagues for management positions.

Conflicts can therefore be described as processes rooted in incompatibility or oppositeness. Thus they are an integral part of living together. Regardless of the type of conflict, unclear situations and areas of responsibility can encourage the emergence of conflicts, which can be of an individual or structural nature.

The conflict dynamics that develop often prevent the realization of constructive conflict solutions, which is why knowledge of various models and strategies for resolving conflicts is indispensable for specialists and managers in all areas. The resulting feelings of aggression and anxiety promote the release of stress hormones, which have a significant influence on the ability to think. Conversation and conflict management training is designed to help to identify the different types of conflict and conflict strategies in good time, to analyse them correctly, to find the appropriate solutions and to implement them constructively in order to create a positive working atmosphere.

Types of Conflicts

Conflicts can have both positive and negative effects on the organisational situation. The degree of negativity or positivity is linked to the various interdependencies between employees and their goals.

In the case of positive dependencies (both parties benefit from cooperation) one speaks of a constructive (work-enhancing and motivating) controversy and in the case of a negative dependency (objectives are contradictory) one can expect an escalation of the conflict. Conflicts cannot be avoided in a company. And this condition is also not desirable, as conflict is a guarantor for further development if handled correctly. Without the existence of oppositeness, no change is possible!

The Management Institute Dr. A. Kitzmann conducts the seminar Conflict Management and Communication Training in Münster, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna and Zurich.

Author: Management Institute Dr. A. Kitzmann