Preparing Social Workers to Manage Conflict Through Mediation

• Author: Sandra Jean Foster
• Pages: 413-416

Sandra Foster 413413

413413

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27 S A N D R A J E A N FO S T E R

Clark Atlanta University

Ramifications of Unmanaged

Conflict

All societies, communities, organizations,

institutions, as well as individuals in

interpersonal relationships, experience conflict

at one time or another. Conflict is inevitable

— a fact of life. When conflict results in

infliction of physical, psychological, or

economic damage, it is harmful and costly.

However, conflict that is managed properly

can be both positive and productive. Proper

conflict management depends on the abilities

of the participants to devise efficient,

cooperative, problem-solving procedures, as

well as their capacity to lay aside distrust and

animosity and work harmoniously together.1

The ramifications of unmanaged conflict

have long been described. And, conventional

approaches to conflict management have been

delineated. The issue is how to move from

conflict description to conflict resolution. When

we weigh the emotional stress and financial

cost that conflict evokes and the way it distracts

us from more pleasant productivity, we might

want to stop wasting resources in fighting to

satisfy the needs of one side and attempt to

solve the problem of both parties in a mutually

satisfying manner.2

When left unmanaged, a problem emerges

and parties choose sides. Positions start to

harden, and communication stops. Resources

Preparing Social Workers to Manage

Conflict Through Mediation

are committed, perceptions become distorted,

and a sense of crisis emerges. Ultimately,

reputations are damaged, and personal

relationships are fractured. This can lead to

organizational disruption which has many

costs, including legal fees, delayed project

costs, revenue losses, and loss of personal

time.3

As the conflict escalates, the conventional

approach to managing it occurs. Parties start

to avoid issues, communication stops,

information is withheld and, confronting parties

become rude, sarcastic, and disrespectful. To

avoid the issue, and each other, parties create

a ‘quick fix’ that temporarily resolves the

problem. Since the ‘quick fix’ is put into action

before the issue is clearly understood, the

problem may emerge again and again.4

Educating Social Workers to

Manage Conflict

To stop problems from emerging again and

again, parties must develop conflict resolution

strategies based on the open, honest exchange

of information and be allowed to clearly

articulate their ideas. In some cases, an

impartial third party is needed to help the

battling parties define the problem and then

brainstorm, evaluate and choose solutions.

Social workers are trained to be impartial

third parties. They are trained in a problem-