Conflicts at the Workplace: Distinguishing Good from Bad

Workplace communities and team-based work environments inevitably encounter conflicts within their organizations. Traditional leadership views conflicts as a negative phenomenon that should be avoided. However, modern conflict management perspectives encourage bringing conflicts to the surface, believing that constant harmony can be equally detrimental, as it may indicate a lack of adaptability to change.

In this post, we aim to differentiate between good and bad conflicts from an organizational perspective, explain techniques for handling individual and organizational-level conflicts, and list possible conflict resolution tools. Is there such a thing as a good conflict? Join us to find out!

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Workplace Conflicts

Formation of Conflicts

The formation of groups involves several stages, one of which is the "storming" phase, naturally accompanied by conflict. Numerous organizational analysts have attempted to define conflicts, and common points emerge across these definitions. A conflict occurs when one or more interdependent parties perceive that others negatively impact something important to them.

Conflicts can be internal (intrapsychic), where there are no visible external manifestations and occur only within an individual's internal world. They can also occur between individuals, groups, organizational levels, or even at international levels.

Good vs. Bad Conflicts

Defining good and bad conflicts can be quite straightforward:

Bad, dysfunctional, or destructive conflicts are those that lead to decreased group performance.
Good conflicts are those that help achieve group goals and enhance performance. These are often referred to as functional or constructive conflicts.

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Types of Conflicts

Bad conflicts create emotionally charged situations where the parties involved might prioritize winning the conflict over resolving the underlying issue. This can lead to defensive or blocking behaviors, polarization of group opinions, and potentially, the disintegration of the group.

Constructive conflicts, on the other hand, encourage creativity, bring ideas to the surface, expose irrational arguments, separate the problem from the person, alleviate tension, promote change and self-evaluation, and clarify power and strength dynamics within the group.

Effects of Conflicts

The negative effects of conflicts include wasted time that could be used productively by employees. Conflicts can hinder creativity and poison the work environment. However, conflicts can also highlight untenable situations within a team, prompting solutions.

It is evident that both the absence of conflict and overly intense conflicts can negatively impact organizational performance. The absence of conflict fails to surface problems, while overly intense conflicts do not facilitate problem resolution. A moderate level of conflict can lead to performance improvements. Hence, a good leader is not one who prevents conflicts in their organization, but one who effectively manages a moderate level of conflict.

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Managing a Moderate Level of Conflict

Conflict Resolution Techniques

Instead of avoiding conflict, lecturing the other party, holding grudges, or seeking retribution, clarify the situation and start fresh!

Steps to Resolving Conflict:

Treat your partner with respect.
Listen until you "experience the other side." Always indicate how you understood the communicated content, emotions, and reasoning.
Briefly articulate your own opinions, emotions, and needs by adhering to these rules: keep your statements short and to the point, use emotionally neutral words, avoid positive-negative judgments, mean what you say, and avoid extreme declarations.

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Dealing with Bad Conflicts

Never forget, whether it's a good or bad conflict, it's essential to bring conflicts to the surface as soon as possible, utilize the positives within them, and resolve the situation!

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