What is Conflict?

Conflict is...

Conflict is defined as an incompatibility of goals or values between two or more parties in a relationship, combined with attempts to control each other and antagonistic feelings fowards each other (Fisher, 1990).

Conflict has its place in most professional and personal relationships. It can add to the relationship by stimulating creativity, excitement and growth. However, when conflict becomes unhealthy, the relationsip suffers.

For families and couples, conflict sources include financial, family and outside influences, and parenting.

In the workplace, "unmanaged conflict is the largest reducible cost in an organizaiton, and the least recognized" (Dana, 2009).

The Role of mediator is to act as a neutral facilitator. Their function is to encourage communication and negotiation between all parties in a dispute.

A mediator is a specialist in communication and skills that help individuals and organizations identify underlying needs and issues. A mediator assists parties through a process that is confidential and collaborative, where all parties are able to determine outcomes that create common ground, resulting in a win-win situation.