Constructive Conflict

Constructive Conflict good relationship is not necessarily one without conflict, but rather one in which the participants can resolve conflicts so that no one is hurt or oppressed; so that everybody wins. Constructive conflict works only when both parties want to resolve the conflict rather than having an interest in winning or maintaining control. If both parties want to resolve the conflict, there are several steps that they should go through to resolve their issue. The first step in resolution involves finding out what the source of the conflict is.

Some possibilities include disagreement about the facts, differences in perceptions, or differences of opinion. The right time to deal with the conflict may not be when one or both parties or upset. Instead a cooling off period may be in order with an agreed upon time to deal with the problem in a reasonable within a reasonable time frame. All parties must be given the opportunity to express their opinion and to feel that they have been heard.

One useful tool in conflict resolution is to have each person way what he or she believes the other person is saying and feeling before expressing oneself. Because communication is a complicated process, it will be useful to have each person verify that the other person has understood or misinterpreted his or her side of the story. Try to prevent the people involved in the conflict from bringing up past issues or resorting to name calling. Finally, develop a list of as many.