Deal Effectively with Conflict

Ask managers where they spend most of their “non-productive” time, and most will answer, "Dealing with people issues!" Differences and disagreements are a natural part of working together. In a healthy organization where there are appropriate channels and ways of expressing differences, a certain amount of disagreement - or "conflict" - is energizing and often creative.

However, when differences lead to personal confrontation, inappropriate aggression, or intolerably high levels of tension, something must be done to mitigate the tension and redirect the behavior of those involved. This is the job of the manager, often in partnership with an HR professional.

PI is a source of information that can be a very powerful tool in helping to resolve conflict. By looking at the patterns of those involved, the manager can gain an objective understanding of the similarities and differences that may contribute to the underlying cause of the difficulties.

Managers can also use PI to help design a way to approach the situation that will be most acceptable to, and effective with, the relevant staff members.