Learn how to recognize, understand, and deal with conflict avoidance in yourself and others, and improve your organizational leadership and performance.

Fostering a psychologically safe workplace crucial. My key takeaways to add: 1. Start early, face challenges, and prioritize open communication. Ensure team members feel heard and understood. 2. Practice self-awareness to enhance leadership and engagement. 3. Combat negativity proactively. 4. Develop the skill of giving constructive feedback through regular practice. Together, we create a workplace where every voice matters.

In my experience one of the common behaviors is not speaking up. There is a fear of speaking up to avoid conflicts and this is further exacerbated when the upbringing and culture of that individual or group of individuals is one that of being silent and saving face.Discussions during meetings are not had because of fear of consequences and often there is a culture that develops of gossip and back biting in small groups or pairs after the meeting. This is a classic situation of conflict avoidance. Lack of trust, along with managers behavior, and the way they communicate, or facilitate meetings leads to conflict avoidance.

Last updated on Oct 10, 2024

How can you identify and address conflict avoidance?

Conflict avoidance is a common but unproductive behavior that can have negative consequences for individuals, teams, and the organization as a whole. This type of behavior occurs when people avoid confronting or resolving issues, disagreements, or differences that arise in the workplace. Such consequences may include reduced trust and collaboration, lower morale and engagement, poor decision-making and problem-solving, increased stress and frustration, and lost opportunities and innovation. As a leader, it is important to be able to identify and address conflict avoidance in yourself and others. To foster a culture of constructive conflict resolution, here are some strategies to help you do that.

1 Recognize the signs

Recognizing the signs of conflict avoidance is the first step to dealing with it. You may notice a lack of communication or feedback, passive-aggressive or defensive behaviors, withdrawal or isolation, procrastination or delay, compliance or agreement without commitment, rumors or gossip, and escalation or avoidance of authority. If any of these signs are present in yourself or others, it is important to address the conflict avoidance.

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Jeremiah O'Brian

CEO, Emerge Global | TEDx Speaker & Thought Leader | USC Professor | Digital Strategy & Business Growth Expert
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Conflict avoidance can significantly hinder organizational effectiveness and team cohesion. Recognizing these signs is crucial, as they often indicate deeper issues such as fear of repercussions or lack of trust within the team. Addressing conflict avoidance requires leaders to foster a culture of open communication, where team members feel safe to express their concerns without fear of judgment. Implementing regular check-ins and feedback mechanisms can help mitigate avoidance behaviors, encouraging proactive conflict resolution and ultimately leading to a more engaged and productive workforce.

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2 Understand the causes

To understand the causes of conflict avoidance, it’s important to consider the situation and the person. Fear of confrontation, rejection, or retaliation, lack of confidence or resources to handle conflict, preference for harmony or approval, cultural or personality differences, misunderstandings or assumptions, and power imbalance or role ambiguity are all potential causes. By recognizing these causes, you can develop a deeper understanding of yourself and others and create an approach to address the underlying issues.

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Dennis Kelley, II

Accomplished corporate security professional with a storied history of training, development, coaching and engagement experience.
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I think the worst thing I ever heard a supervisor say in response to conflict between associates was "You're all grown ups. You can handle this yourselves." Age is no guarantee of being "grown up". It reminds me of when Barry Switzer took over as coach of the Dallas Cowboys. After not having TOO many disciplinary problems under coach Jimmy Johnson, Switzer believed that the young men on his team were capable of self discipline and solving problems themselves. It didn't work for him and it doesn't always work in the workplace. The minute you hear a leader say "You're all grown ups. You can handle this yourselves" is the minute you should start going for that leader's job.

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3 Create a safe environment

The third step is to create a safe environment where people can express themselves without fear of judgement or criticism. To do this, it is important to establish clear expectations and norms for communication and behavior, model openness, honesty, and respect, and encourage feedback and dialogue. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge emotions, use active listening and paraphrasing skills, avoid blaming or attacking, and focus on interests and goals rather than positions and personalities. By creating a safe environment, you can reduce the barriers that prevent people from engaging in conflict resolution.

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Amy Hall

Dynamic Leader in Strategic Capability and Operational Efficiency at RMIT University.
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Fostering a psychologically safe workplace crucial. My key takeaways to add: 1. Start early, face challenges, and prioritize open communication. Ensure team members feel heard and understood. 2. Practice self-awareness to enhance leadership and engagement. 3. Combat negativity proactively. 4. Develop the skill of giving constructive feedback through regular practice. Together, we create a workplace where every voice matters.

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4 Address the conflict

The fourth step is to address the conflict directly and constructively, using a collaborative and solution-oriented approach. To do so, you should identify the source and scope of the conflict, invite the parties to share their perspectives and concerns, uncover common ground and areas of agreement, generate and evaluate possible solutions, negotiate an action plan that is mutually acceptable, and follow up and monitor the implementation and outcomes. Addressing the conflict in this way can help resolve the issue, restore trust and cooperation, and improve performance and satisfaction.

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5 Learn and grow

When dealing with conflict avoidance, the final step is to learn and grow from the experience, and use it as an opportunity to enhance your leadership skills and organizational culture. To do this, reflect on what worked and what didn't work in the conflict resolution process, seek feedback from those involved or affected by the conflict, identify areas of improvement and development for yourself and others, celebrate successes and achievements, share best practices and lessons learned, and reinforce positive behaviors and outcomes. By learning and growing from this experience, you can increase your confidence and competence in handling conflict, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and learning. Conflict avoidance can be a challenge that impedes organizational leadership and performance; however, it can also be seen as an opportunity to improve communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. With these strategies in mind, you can identify and address conflict avoidance in yourself and others, creating a more productive and positive work environment.

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6 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?

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Lalita Raman

Role Transitions Thinking Partner & Sounding Board, Author, Ted(x) Speaker,Leadership & Communications Coach & Facilitator, ICF PCC, Masters in Change Insead
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In my experience one of the common behaviors is not speaking up. There is a fear of speaking up to avoid conflicts and this is further exacerbated when the upbringing and culture of that individual or group of individuals is one that of being silent and saving face.Discussions during meetings are not had because of fear of consequences and often there is a culture that develops of gossip and back biting in small groups or pairs after the meeting. This is a classic situation of conflict avoidance. Lack of trust, along with managers behavior, and the way they communicate, or facilitate meetings leads to conflict avoidance.

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Pavan Daptardar, PMP®

Assistant Manager @ Flipkart | LSSYB, Communication, Transforming Leadership, Top Community Voice of Linkedin
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To identify and address conflict avoidance, it is crucial to recognize the signs and understand the impact it can have on relationships and mental health. Conflict avoidance involves withdrawing from conflicts or avoiding them altogether due to fear of discomfort or negative outcomes. This behavior can lead to resentment, breakdown in communication, and distance in relationships. To address conflict avoidance effectively, it is essential to engage in open communication, express feelings assertively, and seek professional help if needed.

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How can you identify and address conflict avoidance?

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1 Recognize the signs

2 Understand the causes

3 Create a safe environment

4 Address the conflict

5 Learn and grow

6 Here’s what else to consider

Organizational Leadership

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