Conflict is inevitable in any organization. It is increasing in the workplace because of factors like increasing diversity, organizational complexity, intense competition, downsizing and decreasing resources.

Many organizations are embarrassed by conflict, and refuse to deal with it openly.

This attitude forces conflict underground, where it festers and spreads. Instead, conflict should be accepted as a normal part of human interaction. In fact, there has not been a relationship since the dawn of humanity that has not included conflict. The embarrassment is not the presence of conflict, but our unwillingness or inability to deal with that conflict effectively.