How do you resolve conflicts between work products and service development?

1 Identify the sources of conflict

The first step to resolving conflicts is to understand what causes them. Common sources of conflict between work products and service development include misalignment of objectives, lack of communication, different assumptions, competing interests, and scarce resources. To identify the sources of conflict, it is essential to gather information from all parties involved, listen to their perspectives, and clarify their needs and concerns. This will help you better understand the situation and find a suitable resolution.

2 Analyze the impact of conflict

The next step to resolving conflicts is to assess how they affect the work products and service development process. Some questions to consider are: how does the conflict impact the quality, functionality, or usability of the work products or services? How does it affect the efficiency, productivity, or performance of the teams or individuals involved? How does it influence the satisfaction, loyalty, or feedback of customers or users? And how does it create stress, frustration, or resentment among those involved? To analyze the impact of conflict, you need to measure the outcomes, costs, and benefits of the current situation and compare them with desired or expected results.

3 Choose the appropriate resolution method

When resolving conflicts, the third step is to select the most suitable method. The method chosen should depend on the nature, intensity, and complexity of the conflict. Negotiation involves finding a mutually acceptable solution by exchanging offers and concessions. Mediation facilitates dialogue between the parties with the help of a neutral third party. Arbitration submits the dispute to a binding decision by an impartial third party. Collaboration works together to find a creative and integrative solution that satisfies all parties. Compromise involves reaching a middle ground by making trade-offs or concessions. Avoidance ignores or postpones the conflict until it becomes less relevant or urgent. Accommodation yields to the other party's position or interests. Competition pursues one's own position or interests at the expense of the other party. When selecting an appropriate resolution method, you need to consider the goals, interests, and relationships of the parties, as well as the time, resources, and risks involved.

4 Implement the resolution plan

The fourth step to resolving conflicts is to execute the plan that you have chosen or agreed upon. To do this, you need to communicate clearly and respectfully, listen actively and empathetically, focus on the issues not the personalities, seek common ground rather than differences, acknowledge and address emotions, generate and evaluate options instead of imposing or rejecting them, and build trust, rapport, and cooperation instead of distrust, hostility, or competition. Additionally, you should follow the steps, rules, and criteria that you have established or accepted in order to monitor the progress and outcomes of the process.

5 Evaluate and improve the resolution process

The fifth step to resolving conflicts is to review and refine the resolution process. To do this, you need to ask questions such as how effective the resolution method was in resolving the conflict, how satisfied the parties were with the outcome, and how the resolution process affected work products and service development. Additionally, you should consider how it influenced relationships and interactions among the parties, as well as identify opportunities for improvement. To evaluate and improve the resolution process, you should collect feedback and data from the parties, as well as lessons learned from the experience. This can help you identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the process.

6 Prevent or minimize future conflicts

The sixth step to resolving conflicts is to prevent or minimize their occurrence or escalation in the future. Strategies to do this include aligning objectives, priorities, and standards of work products and service development processes, enhancing communication and collaboration among teams or stakeholders, and clarifying assumptions, interpretations, and expectations of the work products or services. Additionally, you should balance interests, values, and preferences of customers and users, as well as allocate and manage resources, time, and budget of the work product and service development process. To successfully prevent or minimize future conflicts, it is essential to anticipate, identify, and address potential sources of conflict while fostering a culture of mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation among the parties.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?