5 Ways to Manage Conflict in the Workplace

5 Ways to Manage Conflict in the Workplace 5 Ways to Manage Conflict in the Workplace Many people head in the opposite direction when they spot conflict in the workplace. But if you’re a manager thats a mistake. Conflict can be healthy or unhealthy, but either way, it merits your attention.  Healthy conflict focuses on differences of opinion regarding tasks or work-related activities. It can be leveraged and facilitated for gain. Unhealthy conflict is the kind that gets personal. It must be extinguished immediately or it jeopardizes the work environment.  5 Styles of Conflict Management:  The research work of Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann in the 1970s led to the identification of five styles of conflict and the development of a widely used self-assessment called the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, or TKI. Their work suggested that we all have a preferred way to deal with conflict which serves us well in some situations, but not all.