1.6 Summary

To sum things up, conflict management is the practice of handling a disagreement that results from opposing or incompatible needs, motivations, wishes, drives, or demands. We practice conflict management in order to resolve disputes in a way that reduces the number of negative outcomes or dissatisfied parties and maximizes the number of positive outcomes and satisfied parties that are involved.

We can broadly split conflict management strategies into two categories: negotiation and mediation. Negotiation is the act of having a discussion or dialogue in order to settle a matter that is in dispute, whereas mediation is the process of being a third party to a negotiation and facilitating a conflict management on behalf of the parties involved. The aim is to establish agreement, settlement, reconciliation, or compromise. Or it can also be the process of consulting a neutral outside party to assist in considering matters of dispute and reaching a consensual agreement that accommodates all of the parties involved. Both negotiation and mediation are subtypes of conflict management. Diplomacy, or the art of communicating with people in a tactful and sensitive way, is the thread that holds these processes together.

The broad skills needed for successful conflict management include the ability to focus on the problem at hand, to have patience in dealing with conflicting viewpoints and stagnated discussions, and to possess keen emotional intelligence. The immediate benefits of practicing successful conflict management include better goal achievement, enhanced relationships, risk mitigation, and innovation. This is why conflict management is practiced all over the world—by the United Nations, the European Union, courts, HR departments, in our homes, and in our personal lives. Conflict is everywhere. Rather than pretending like it doesn’t exist or shying away from it, we can master a few skills and become experts at managing it. If you can do this, you will find yourself sought out as a valuable asset in any situation requiring negotiation or mediation.