Dive Brief:

• Workplace conflict happens and often is necessary to get things done. 
• Some conflict is healthy and constructive; other disagreements can escalate out of control.
• A recent academic paper from Carnegie Mellon posits that it’s not just the nature of a disagreement, but the way it is expressed, that leads to a positive or negative workplace result.

Dive Insight:

According to a report in the New York Times, the Academy of Management Review in a recent paper proposed that being "direct and low key" is the most effective strategy in resolving conflict. That style of communication is unambiguous, but comes with actions such as debating and deliberating. 

When conflict is expressed with high intensity, whether directly or indirectly, the issue can start to feel personal to the parties involved, according to paper's author, Laurie Weingart. And that can lead to people responding by attacking others or defending themselves. They are more likely to dig into their positions without listening to other viewpoints and processing new information, meaning that an effective resolution is less likely.