Business conflict resolution should be a required course of study for managers and their assistants, as well as a required course in every MBA program. Below, you will see a short outline of conflict resolution management and resolution, the key to realizing your organization’s full potential. You may want to get your managers together and do some role-playing. It becomes easier to respond correctly with practice.
The first step in business conflict resolution is to get the involved parties to stop talking – they are not ready to “talk it out yet” so stop with the talk already. Now, if the conflict happens to be between an employee and a customer, it is best to send the employee to your office and then listen carefully to what the customer has to say.
Don’t be afraid to take notes, it shows you are paying attention and taking them seriously. Angry customers often talk very quickly. When the customer slows down, ask two questions. Is there anything else? How can I make you happy? If the customer asks for too much, you may need to negotiate, but that’s another subject.
By removing the employee from the scene, you resolved the immediate threat. Until the employee has been removed from the situation it is unlikely anything productive will happen – people dig in their heels and won’t budge.
Most conflict resolution management will involve two or more employees or perhaps your business partners. If there is an argument, then we go back to the first step. Everyone stop talking.
Once you have a moment of quiet, try to get everyone to take a deep breath. Then have the involved parties sit down and agree to come to a solution. There should be an acceptable solution for all involved parties.
Effective conflict resolution management is something like counseling. You are playing the role of a counselor as you listen to the concerns of everyone involved. As you would with the customer, take notes. Only one person should speak at a time. If it becomes impossible to diffuse the anger of one of the parties, have them leave the room, until it is their turn to talk.
Only you and the involved parties should be included in the problem solving phase of business conflict resolution. Although you may want to have your assistant in the room, he or she should only observe and not comment.
Conflict resolution management takes time. If you are a store manager, you may need to schedule a later date for the problem solving meeting. It can sometimes take a sizable block of time. If there is any violence or any threat of violence, it is important to diffuse the situation quickly and forcefully.
Most people can be reasoned with, but you should always have a contingency plan, particularly if you have numerous employees. Remember that it is your right to have angry violent employees removed from the building.
Business conflict resolution rarely gets violent. Usually, it is a simple matter of being open to new solutions.
Charles Wallace
Related posts:
- The Significance of Emotional Engagement in Conflict Management
- Workplace Conflict Resolution Begins With Identification of Unproductive Behavior
- It’s Not The Conflict You Know About That’s Killing Your Profits
- What can I do for crisis management and conflict resolution at workplace?
- Best way to deal with conflict in the workplace? Just became part of management. Need comunicating skills help?
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