Resolving Conflicts at Work: A Complete Guide for Everyone on the Job

Create a new sense of yourself in your organization, a new direction in your life, and a new understanding of your adversaries with this highly practical guide for resolving conflicts, miscommunications, and misunderstandings at work. Two veteran professionals show you how conflicts-and the process of resolving them-can offer extraordinary opportunities for personal growth, deeper and more satisfying relationships, and enhanced morale.

Conflicts exist in every workplace, and if left unchecked they can reduce productivity, decimate morale, fracture relationships, and even spark litigation. According to conflict resolution specialists Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith, however, such undesirable results could be eliminated through management behaviors that forestall any related misunderstandings. In Resolving Conflicts at Work, they draw upon real-world examples (both good and bad) to explain "how and why we all get stuck in conflict." They then outline "8 Paths from Impasse to Transformation"--which include understanding a conflict's real meaning, listening actively to those involved, separating what matters from what doesn't, and handling resultant problems creatively--to resolve those that do arise. The chapter on listening, for example, offers concrete advice such as "demonstrate that you have heard the other person's deeper needs and feelings" by making reference to them in your conversation; it also suggests replacing phrases that threaten, judge, blame, and accuse with those that clarify perspective ("When did this happen?"), acknowledge differing viewpoints ("I can see you really feel angry about that"), and invite elaboration ("Why is that important to you?"). The plan requires effort and commitment, but should prove beneficial to managers who are serious about improving their work environments. --Howard Rothman