About 49% of manager candidates lack effective conflict management skills, while only 12% demonstrate high proficiency with handling conflict at work, according to a Sept. 24 report from DDI, a global leadership company.
In addition, only 30% of leaders have confidence in their ability to manage conflict, revealing a major area where new leaders recognize their weaknesses and have potential for training.
“With rising political tensions and growing employee distrust of leaders, workplaces are becoming more polarized,” Stephanie Neal, director of DDI’s Center for Analytics and Behavioral Research, said in a statement. “Conflict can have a ripple effect throughout organizations, stifling productivity, creativity and morale — and ultimately driving higher turnover. Now is the time for leaders to address the conflict management gap.”
In assessments of more than 70,000 manager candidates worldwide, several specific skill gaps emerged that contribute to conflict management issues, DDI said.
For instance, 61% of manager candidates struggled to clarify core issues. Potential front-line leaders may assume they have all of the facts or guess employees’ motives, DDI said; because conflict often stems from a lack of understanding, new leaders must seek clarification before differences lead to a dispute.
About 65% also had difficulty offering support and resources to their team. New managers may not be prepared for conflict discussions, which can lead to further misunderstandings and inadequate support, DDI said. Instead, employers can build leaders’ emotional intelligence and empathy skills so they’re prepared when conflict occurs.
Beyond that, 60% had trouble empowering team members. Emerging leaders should encourage workers to take ownership of a conflict, which can strengthen team dynamics, DDI said. Training can help these leaders improve their ability to ask open-ended questions and incorporate team members in developing a solution.
Nearly all leaders question aspects of their leadership, and more than half do it on a monthly basis, according to 2023 survey results from Robin Pou Inc. Leaders tend to question their ability to manage conflict and establish culture, which can be addressed through training, the firm said.
Coaching can also help managers become more effective, according to a human capital consulting executive at Hub International. Effective coaching can guide front-line leaders past the inhibitors that hold them back from making a change, she said.
