Before we start understanding conflict and learning how to handle it effectively, we need to define terms. So let's have a look at what the terms conflict and conflict management really mean. Conflict is going to or more people assert their rights over property, assets, resources, decisions, even ideas in such a way that they restrict the rights of others. It's worth noting, the two people can contend their rights through negotiation as well. negotiation is really nothing more nor less than conflict conducted in a civil way. It's done so respectfully, and it's done.
So following a process now We won't be covering negotiation in this program. But it's worth noting that to a degree, our aim in managing conflict is to transform conflict into a negotiation. Now, conflict doesn't have to be bad, it can be good, it can lead to challenge and learning and conversation and growth, it can lead to creativity and new ideas. But conflict can be bad, it can be stressful, it can damage relationships, and it can impact adversely on productivity and effectiveness. conflict can damage the workings of a team or even a whole organization. And therefore, if you have any managerial or leadership responsibilities, then conflict is high up on your agenda of things to manage effectively.
So if conflict is damaging Hadees it causes bad decisions is stressful and all of that, then you have to manage it. and managing conflict is an approach to resolving that conflict effectively and respectfully, in a way that has a positive net benefit. If you think about it, there are three possible outcomes from a conflict, there's lose lose, both parties end up worse off as a result of the conflict. It's also a win lose a balance. The cost of my winning the conflict is balanced by your loss. But what we're aiming for is a win win situation where the parties overall end up better off as a result of the conflict.
That's not to say that one party may not feel that the other has gained more than they have. But if neither party loses, then the conflict can be resolved in a way that is satisfactory to both