Conflict is an inevitable part of business. According to a 2008 CPP Global study, employees spend an average of 2.8 hours a week managing conflicts in the United States. It is therefore important to know how to manage these in order to minimise situations that may jeopardise team cohesion.

Preventing conflicts

Il est essentiel de se concentrer sur les signes avant-coureurs des conflits afin de pouvoir les prévenir. Des signaux faibles apparaissent toujours avant un conflit : absences répétées, non communication d’informations, retards dans les projets ou sur les dossiers, conciliabules, oublis d’invitation dans une réunion ou désorganisation latente. Une fois repérés, ces signes doivent être traités. N’hésitez pas à poser des questions en formulant votre ressenti. Par exemple : « je me sens mis à l’écart, j’ai l’impression qu’il y a un dysfonctionnement. »

Communiquez !

Conflicts are resolved through communication. In tense situations, clearly identify your needs and requirements. Prepare a list of concessions that you are ready to make. Also ask your co-worker to clearly express their needs. Lastly, don’t try to convince the other person but rather identify a solution, depending on the concessions you are willing to make.

Keep some distance

Les émotions prennent souvent le pas sur tout le reste lors d’un conflit. Centrez donc votre communication sur le « comment » et la volonté de trouver une solution plutôt que sur le « pourquoi » et l’origine du conflit.

Dissect the causes of the conflict to better resolve it

Rather than wanting to manage the conflict as a whole, it is better to try to break it down to understand it better. A conflict combines several components: professional, emotional, personal and organisational. Firstly, identify the different factors of the conflict as well as their type (professional, emotional, etc.). Secondly, deal with the components one by one in order to find the solutions adapted to each one.

Call upon a third party

If after all these attempts at defusion your conflict is still there, call upon a third person. This mediator, not involved in the conflict, will first meet individually with the various involved parties, then he or she will summarise their points of view during a collective feedback session before proposing solutions to be tested by mutual agreement.