Which strategies for conflict resolution You recommend?

Some opt for an accommodating approach. This can be an effective way to preserve relationships at work. Accommodation often involves parties sacrificing their own needs in the spirit of cooperation. However, being overly cooperative can hurt a project if it detracts from the team’s greater goals.

Avoidance is also used to resolve trivial matters by creating momentary space between two parties. Instead of confronting the problem, it is ignored. Sometimes small issues will resolve themselves but, in general, avoidance is not a good long-term strategy. It can cause bitter feelings and disrupt work production.

Collaboration attempts to break free of the “win-lose” perspective of conflicts and instead seeks a “win-win” resolution. This can help to re-frame challenges and create room for everybody’s ideas. The downside is that reaching a consensus often requires a lot of time and effort. 

Competition is the less desirable “win-lose” approach. In this case, a competitive party will set out to reach their own goals without seeking any cooperation. This may be imperative in moments that require decisive action, but is ultimately not sustainable.

Compromise is the “lose-lose” scenario where neither party really achieves their goals. It may be appropriate for scenarios where you need a temporary solution, or where both sides have equally important objectives. However, this should only be a last resort, as in many cases, collaborating would produce a better solution.