Conflict Resolution

Conflict is defined as “a serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.”

Communication is key. Try and explain your point of view clearly and get the other person to understand why you feel this way and why your conflict with each other has made you feel this way.

If your attempts at resolving the conflict and trying to come to an amicable outcome have failed, then it may be time to take it to those higher up. Your manager or team leader might be your next port of call, try explaining to them what has happened, both sides of the conflict and why it is still continuing. If that still doesn’t work or if they are part of the problem then you might have to take the conflict to someone else senior in the business. You might also try your HR department (even if it is external). If the problem continues, you might want to start taking a diary of notes to build a case history, this might become a problem of workplace bullying/harassment.

Everyone reacts to disputes or conflicts in different ways. There are some people that react badly and more dramatically than others e.g. fighting back physically, shouting, crying, swearing, or shutting down/running away from the problem. People need to step back from the situation, take a deep breath and think about things, rather than reacting instantly and regretting their reaction.