Conflicts are universal, their resolution is not!

Conflicts can exist at different levels and in different forms. We not only need to resolve them, we also need to prevent the damage arising from them, and lastly, we need to learn to live with them. This is why we need CONFLICT MANAGEMENT skills.

In our own sphere of work, each one of us has to find ways and means for managing conflict. Especially, when the stakes are high, as in case of a business organization, while dealing with important stakeholders or at the international level, those responsible for managing these conflicts need to know the pros and cons of adopting different strategies for conflict management.

ORIGIN OF CONFLICT

Conflicts arise because of differences in interests of two or more agents, irrespective of whether these agents are individuals, organizations, groups of people or nations. As interests of one party can never be absolutely same as that of another, conflicts are inevitable. The same is also true of an organization, where differences will always be there between the managers and the workers, the directors and the shareholders and the organization and its business partners and agents. Differences can also be there between different sections of the same organization, as can be present among managers or even workers. Each of these differences leads to a 'conflict' which needs to be managed, with the aim of preventing it from becoming an obstacle in the functioning of the organization.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT : THE BASICS

It is important to remember that conflict management does not necessarily mean resolution of conflict. In fact, while at some times it is not possible to resolve a conflict, at other times, it is not desirable to resolve the conflict because of the cost involved in terms of time, effort and attention. Thus, the first basic principle of conflict management is that there are many alternative ways for managing a conflict, and selecting the appropriate alternative is perhaps one of the most important steps in conflict management.

APPROACHES TO CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Different approaches to managing a conflict include:

1. FORCING: using an authority or power available for forcing a solution that satisfies your concerns without regard to the concern of the other party. This approach may be appropriate when it is impossible to satisfy the concerns of the other party, e.g.. in case of a legal dispute with a party threatening illegal use of force.

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