The Conflict Resolution Skills Every Project Manager Needs

It’s best to start any new project by fostering the right conflict mindset among team members. Productive conflict requires that all parties appreciate the competing demands and necessary trade-offs. But don’t expect stakeholders to show up with clarity about their position or empathy for the needs and demands of others. As a great project manager, you need to foster awareness, understanding, and respect for the different perspectives around the table. Your job is to harness the opposing forces and ensure that decisions are made with the benefit of diverse perspectives, the full knowledge of their impact, and the optimal trade-offs between various priorities. Fulfilling that responsibility will require that you embrace productive conflict and hone the associated skills.