At the Heart: Conflict Resolution

Some time ago, I lived on the corner of a blind intersection in Alexandria, Egypt. Cars collided below my kitchen window once a week, and the ensuing drama consistently repeated itself:

The drivers would jump out of their cars, and without even inspecting the damage, begin shouting into each others faces loud enough to draw a crowd. Once a large enough crowd had assembled, the drivers would raise their fists at each other and start swinging.

At that precise point, the crowd would pull them apart to prevent the fight. The drivers would shout and curse at each other from opposite sides for another five minutes, then jump back into their cars and drive off.

The crowd would go on their way.

The end.

I asked an Egyptian colleague about this behavior. Why bother with all the commotion if nothing is ever resolved?

“Ah, but it is resolved,” she told me. “With all of the shouting, they have released the anger from their hearts.”

Now, here’s something for you to think about. Does unresolved conflict exist in your business? Do interpersonal conflicts prevent teamwork? Do interdepartmental conflicts impede operations? Do management-level conflicts delay your progress?

If so, it’s okay. As much as we’d like to think that conflict is dysfunctional, it’s actually the normal state of corporate affairs. It becomes dangerous, however, when left unacknowledged and, therefore, unresolved.

Unresolved conflict works at the heart of your business. As those in conflict brood, it worsens. Rumors start; relationships deteriorate. Motivational levels plummet. Workers spend more time discussing each other than they spend discussing their work. That’s why it’s critical for your management to be in tune and consistently on the lookout for unresolved conflict.

As soon as you spot it, deal with it. Get it out in the open immediately. I don’t recommend the shout-and-swing-driver method. However, I do recommend reasonable, honest, diplomatic, collaborative conflict management and resolution.

That’s how you keep your company's heart beating.