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ADVICE ON CONFLICT RESOLUTION In any organization, conflicts will occur and the Ombudsman is well placed to deal with people as individuals and with problems in a systematic manner. But both employees and managers can also help to improve their working conditions if they understand that they can take initiatives to deal with conflicts before they require outside intervention.
The Ombudsman's Office has compiled a list of actions which should or should not be taken when there is conflict at work. Useful tips are as follows:
DOs and DON'Ts of Conflict Resolution
DO
- View conflict as a natural occurrence
- Address conflict quickly
- Seek first to understand, then to be understood
- Listen actively to fully understand
- Ask open-ended questions
- Identify issues, interests and feelings
- Use “I” messages
- Acknowledge emotions as they are valid
- Focus on the problem, not the person
- Be open to creative solutions
- Clarify areas of agreement and follow up
- Seek assistance from units that can assist you
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DON'T
- Avoid the conflict, otherwise it will escalate
- Assume, judge or blame
- Disregard each party's interests
- Attack the speaker
- Interrupt the speaker
- Allow emotions to override the discussion
- Focus on personality traits that cannot be changed
- Impose personal values and beliefs on others
- Assume the intended message is understood
- Impose an agreement
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