Managing Conflict in the Workplace

Managing Conflict In The Workplace
Wherever a difference in opinion exists, conflict will manifest. Conflict is as old as the world and appears in every aspect of our lives. Conflicts are one of the reasons for war. Many marriages have ended in divorce because of conflict. Conflict is prevalent between parent and teenage children. It is a part of the human relationship. Therefore, the workplace is not exempt from conflict.
Conflict is not always negative. Positive results can come from conflict. Dave Murphy explains in his article “Prize fighting/The right kind of conflict can help workers thrive” (San Francisco Chronicle Sept 1, 2002 pg J.1). He quotes Lynn Eisaguirre as saying “We tend to have an attitude that if we have conflict in the workplace, something is wrong. It’s normal. It is an opportunity for us to come up with a more creative solution. Creatively managing conflict is a skill-just like learning how to use a computer.” Lynn Eisaguirre informs us c...