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The 7 Expert Strategies for a Manager for Handling and Resolving Conflicts

Conflict resolution is an important skill for managers to possess. Without the ability to address discord between employees, teams, departments, or other stakeholders, organizations can experience decreased productivity, decreased morale, and even legal issues. As a manager, it is your responsibility to develop the skills and strategies to effectively handle and resolve conflicts.

The first step in resolving conflicts is to understand the source of the conflict. Conflict can arise from any number of sources, such as a difference in values or perspectives, clashing personalities, a lack of resources, or a breakdown in communication. Once the source of the conflict has been identified, the manager can begin to explore the best methods of resolution.

One of the most important aspects of conflict resolution is communication. Managers need to ensure that all parties involved in the conflict have an opportunity to express their views, feelings, and concerns. Furthermore, they should make sure that everyone is listening to each other and that any misunderstandings or misinterpretations can be resolved.

Active listening is also an important part of conflict resolution. Managers should listen to all sides of the conflict attentively and ask clarifying questions to ensure that they understand the other person’s point of view. Additionally, managers should be sure to communicate that they are open to hearing other perspectives and that they are willing to consider alternate solutions.

It is also important for managers to remain impartial during the conflict resolution process. This means that they should not take sides or show favoritism towards any of the parties involved. Rather, they should focus on finding a resolution that is equitable and fair for all parties.

When attempting to resolve a conflict, managers should also seek to understand the underlying emotions of the people involved. Anger, frustration, fear, and anxiety are all common emotions that can contribute to a conflict. By understanding the feelings of the individuals involved, managers can better identify potential solutions to the conflict.

In some cases, it may be beneficial to involve a neutral third party to help facilitate the conflict resolution process. An outside mediator can offer impartiality and can help both parties understand each other’s point of view. Additionally, they can help to identify potential solutions that the parties may not have considered on their own.

When resolving conflicts, it is important for managers to be open to compromise. In some cases, the parties involved in the conflict may need to make concessions in order to reach a resolution. Compromise should be encouraged, as it can help to create a mutually beneficial solution that is satisfactory to both parties.

Finally, once a resolution has been reached, it is important for managers to ensure that it is implemented. This may involve following up with the parties involved to ensure that the agreed-upon solution is being followed, or it may require monitoring the situation to ensure that the conflict does not resurface.


Conflict resolution is an important skill for managers to possess. By understanding the source of the conflict, communicating clearly and actively listening, remaining impartial, understanding the underlying emotions of the parties involved, involving a neutral third party, being open to compromise, and ensuring that the solution is implemented, managers can successfully handle and resolve conflicts. Here are 7 expert strategies for a manager for handling and resolving conflicts:
1. Understand the Conflict
The first step a manager should take when handling and resolving conflicts is to understand the conflict. It is important to determine who is involved in the conflict, what the causes of the conflict are, and what the goals of each party are. This understanding sets the foundation for successful resolution.
2. Clarify the Issues
When a manager is handling and resolving conflicts, it is important to clarify the issues. Clarifying the issues can be done by asking questions, listening to each side of the story, and summarizing the key issues. This helps the parties involved to identify the root cause of the conflict and helps the manager to determine the best solution.
3. Identify the Interests of Each Party
One of the key strategies for resolving conflicts is to identify the interests of each party. By understanding the interests of each party, the manager can ensure that each party is heard and respected. Additionally, this can help the manager to identify potential solutions that will meet the needs of all parties involved.
4. Develop Possible Solutions
Once the interests of each party have been identified, the manager should then develop possible solutions. It is important to develop solutions that are mutually beneficial and address the root cause of the conflict. This can help to ensure that the conflict is resolved in a way that all parties are satisfied with the outcome.
5. Negotiate
One of the most important strategies for resolving conflicts is to negotiate. This is the process of discussing the solutions that have been developed and determining which solutions are best for all parties involved. Negotiation helps to ensure that the conflict is resolved in a way that is acceptable to all parties and that all parties are satisfied with the outcome.
6. Implement the Solution
Once the best solution has been negotiated and agreed upon, the manager should then implement the solution. This involves taking action to ensure that the solution is implemented in a timely manner. Additionally, the manager should follow up with the parties involved to ensure that the solution is working and to make any necessary adjustments.
7. Follow Up
Finally, it is important for the manager to follow up after the conflict has been resolved. This can be done by checking in with the parties involved to ensure that the resolution has been successful and to provide any additional assistance that is needed. This step is important to ensure that the conflict does not resurface in the future.

By following these strategies, a manager can ensure that conflicts are handled and resolved in a way that is satisfactory to all parties involved. By understanding the conflict, clarifying the issues, identifying the interests of each party, developing possible solutions, negotiating, implementing the solution, and following up, the manager can ensure that the conflict is resolved quickly and effectively.
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