Conflict management: Communication strategies for managers
Written by Maren Dinges | 7th August 2024
Conflicts arise when values, goals, and personalities collide. They are, therefore, inevitable in a diverse working environment. The longer conflicts last, the greater their potential to escalate. If such conflicts occur between colleagues, the battle lines quickly harden. The conflict demotivates, sick days increase, and work performance drops. This downward spiral is not only experienced by those involved in the conflict. The conflict also has a negative impact on their team members. The collective drop in productivity costs a company a lot of money – unless managers recognize the conflict early on and resolve it.
In this article, we explain what is important for managers in conflict management and which communication strategies work best.
The role of managers in conflict situations
Conflicting parties rarely succeed in resolving their disagreements. In companies, an unbiased person is needed to approach the conflict constructively and resolve it. This is the task of a manager.
This task is hardly featured in any job profile, yet it accounts for a large portion of working time. According to figures from the “Lösungsinstitut” (Competence network for conflict management, coaching, seminars and training, strategy, processes, and new work), companies spend 10 to 15 percent of their available working time dealing with conflicts.
Managers alone spend 30 to 50 percent of their working time being confronted with conflicts. So, turning away does not work, and taking sides certainly does not.
The role of managers is clear: Their task is to encourage communication between conflicting parties, highlight the perspectives of both sides, and search impartially for a win-win solution. Active listening is also crucial to identifying potential for improvement in processes and communication channels. After all, every conflict is also a warning signal that something is not yet working in the company, which means that every conflict is a sign that change is needed.
There are various types of conflict styles
How a conflict arises depends on the cause of the conflict. There are three types of conflict often seen in companies:
- Role conflict: unclear or intersecting responsibilities
- Conflict of values: divergent personal ethical and moral beliefs
- Conflict of power: different hierarchical levels collide
How people communicate these conflicts is divided into relationship and factual levels. The iceberg model best explains this. According to this model, some causes of the conflict are hidden (relationship level), while others are visible to the outside world (factual level).
Third parties are not able to see the relationship level. Personal thoughts, attitudes, values, and feelings are the core behind the conflict if it is not a conflict of roles or power. They explain why the conflict arose, for example, due to different cultural attitudes to a specific topic.
How the conflict arises is visible to all external parties at the factual level. At the objective level, we show people how we behave in a certain situation.
Managers should observe the behavior rather than draw conclusions from it. Only a look beneath the surface reveals the cause of the conflict.
Recognizing conflicts early on: How does it work?
Managers, therefore, need fine-tuned antennae to recognize conflicts at an early stage. According to the iceberg model, the primary way to read signals is through changes in behavior, such as dismissive posture, distanced behavior, declining productivity, an increase in sick days, or a slight change in facial expressions.
Empathetic and emotionally intelligent managers are particularly susceptible to conflict signals. Training in this field supports the early recognition of conflicts. Companies can actively promote this by offering management training in this subject. The best way to do this is in video form.
Prevent conflicts at an early stage with videos
Videos explain conflicts in all their facets—even those that simmer beneath the visible level. For example, videos are predestined to visually show changed behavior while simultaneously revealing the meta-level, i.e., the emotions behind a conflict. For example, the video could show a character arguing with another person. A thought bubble shows what is going on inside.
You can create such videos for various conflicts and show how managers should react. This creates mutual understanding and makes possible solutions visible. With targeted videos, you can also avert potential conflicts before they even arise. In onboarding, for example, videos explain the corporate culture. This way, new talents also know which values are lived in the company. Videos on conflict topics are also advisable in social skills training, not only to train small talk and negotiation skills but also to deal professionally with any conflicts that arise. With the simpleshow video maker, you can create such videos for your company in minutes.
Managing conflicts: 3 communication strategies for managers
A manager has not completed conflict management just because they recognize a conflict. The next step is to manage it. There are proactive and reactive approaches:
- Proactively managing conflicts: when managers recognize them at an early stage
- Reactively managing conflicts: when the conflict has already escalated
These three communication strategies provide managers with guidance in conflict management:
LEAF method
The LEAF method is suitable for resolving conflicts as quickly and constructively as possible. In this method, the manager acts as a mentor.
- L: Listen
- E: Empathize
- A: Apologize
- F: Fix
Conflict management begins with a conversation. It is about active listening. The conflict parties should listen attentively to each other during the meeting so that they can take on the other party’s perspective. Targeted questions from the manager give them a deep insight into the emotional and factual worlds of the conflict.
Throughout the conversation, opinions and feelings remain uncommented. The aim is to create a space that conveys a feeling of being listened to and understood. At the same time, both parties should reflect on what has been said. This allows misunderstandings to be resolved at an early stage.
In the end, it is about admitting mistakes and naming your own weaknesses. By apologizing to each other, the conflicting parties show character and come closer together, not only on a factual level but also on a relationship level.
Harvard method
Unlike the LEAF method, the Harvard method considers the factual and relationship levels separately. Managers deal with the conflict by elevating it from a subjective to an objective level.
In the Harvard method, managers first determine the interests of each party to the conflict and document them. In doing so, they precisely separate the relationship level from the factual level. Only when emotions no longer boil over can the conflict be dealt with objectively.
Based on the interests, the manager then develops satisfactory options for both sides. The managers record these options using neutral evaluation criteria. This ensures that discussions remain solution-oriented and objective in the long term.
KULT method
The KULT model goes one step further. Here, managers hold the conflict parties directly accountable:
Until a solution is found, it is similar to the Harvard method. You try to find the cause of the conflict, look at it as objectively as possible, and develop solution-oriented options. The transfer aspect opens up a level after the conflict. It appears that the conflict is resolved after the discussion. In reality, this is only the case if both parties are genuinely committed to it. This is the case if both parties work hand in hand to achieve common goals in the future.
Conclusion: Intervene preventively and set sustainable goals
Conflicts are part of life and, therefore, also part of our working lives. A large part of managers’ work revolves around interpersonal disputes. The earlier they recognize and intervene in emerging conflicts, the more sustainably goals can be set, the conflicting parties can be turned back into partners, and business success can be increased.
To train your managers or employees in conflict management, we recommend using video as a tool. With the simpleshow video maker, you can create training courses that explain various causes, types of conflict, or strategies. This improves managers’ emotional intelligence and strengthens the working atmosphere in general. In this way, you create a corporate culture that is open to conflict but always approaches it solution-oriented and humanely. Use the simpleshow video maker now and drive positive change in your company!
