'Universidad de Sevilla - Secretariado de Recursos Audiovisuales y Nuevas Tecnologias'
Abstract
Some people think conflict is a topic that should not be discussed and that we should not engage in
conflict. Productively engaging in conflict is always valuable. Most people are willing and interested
in resolving their conflicts; they just need the appropriate skill set and opportunities in which to
practice this skill set. Without a conflict skill set, people want to avoid conflict, hoping it will go away
or not wanting to make a “big deal out of nothing.” Research and personal experiences show us that,
when we avoid conflict, the conflict actually escalates and our thoughts and feelings become more
negative. Through conflict self-awareness we can more effectively manage our conflicts and therefore
our professional and personal relationships. Furthermore, by discussing issues related to conflict
management, teams can establish an expected protocol to be followed by team members when in
conflict. All teams and organizations have a conflict culture (the way the team responds to conflict).
However, most teams never discuss what the conflict culture is, therefore providing the opportunity
for individual team members to make assumptions that can be counterproductive to the team.
Practicing one’s conflict management skills leads to more successful engagement in conflict with
outcomes of relief, understanding, better communication, and greater productivity for both the
individual and the team. When we manage our conflicts more effectively, we use less energy on the
burdensome tasks such as systemic conflict and get to spend more of our energy on our projects at
work and building our relationships
