Torwards a Better Intra-Organizational Crisis Management: A Sustainable Approach to Dealing with Team Conflicts in Highly Stressfull Environments
Abstract as pdf
Corresponding Author:
Sebastian Spiekermann
Mediator and Conflict Advisor Germany
sebspie@googlemail.com
Author(s):
In tense and stressful situations, which require comprehensive decisions under pressure of time, disagreements can quickly turn into destructive conflicts: Cooperation is no longer possible, decisions are being unnecessarily called into question and crisis management is at a standstill.
But why do team conflicts arise, how do we deal with them, and how can we solve them?
Conflicts often erupt in highly stressful environments, but they are not born in those situations, as they most likely have been built up for a long time. It quickly becomes apparent that conflicts in these areas involve several conflict participants, often even the entire team.
Especially in these environments leaders tend to suspend conflicts authoritarianly. But this is a dangerous approach, as the conflict will not be solved, but rather continue to exist subliminal and thus threaten to worsen cooperation even further.
The responsibility and also the possibility of conflict resolution lies not only with the leaders. The impetus to create a more motivated and goal-oriented working environment can, and often must, come from the team within. Thus, the „unbalance“ of power must not be an obstacle to conflict resolution.
By making use of the most applicable methods within the field of mediation, this presentation will provide guidance on how to approach intra-organizational and employee-led conflict resolution. Furthermore, it intends to show why conflicts are important and how an organization can benefit from a sustainable conflict resolution.
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