In 2025, digitalisation, the rise of AI, and hybrid management are reshaping priorities in the world of work. The manager’s role has never been more uncertain, operating within an ever-changing work environment. While hard skills remain important, it is soft skills that truly support effective team management. In fact, 80% of business leaders say these are a key factor for success. With that in mind, here are the essential conflict management soft skills to master in today’s professional environment.
Self-Control: The Key to Resolving Conflict Effectively
Nearly 65% of managers say they feel overwhelmed by their workload. According to a study by APEC (French Executive Employment Association), this situation increases the risk of burnout. Self-control therefore stands out as an essential skill for resolving conflicts in the workplace.
Your managers need to learn how to stay calm in any workplace conflict. Taking time to analyse the full context supports more effective conflict resolution. Their words should be measured and contribute genuine value to the process.
Remember to adjust your response based on the other party’s remarks. Use a skills tracking tool to maximise the effectiveness of your team management.
Active Listening: A Key Soft Skill for Conflict Management
This skill involves listening carefully to what your colleague is saying, regardless of their position in the hierarchy. You can then consider the most appropriate solutions to resolve interpersonal conflicts directly with your team members.
Active listening could also be the focus of your project leaders’ next upskilling session. It helps create a harmonious work environment, not only for managing conflict but also for expressing emotions. The manager must guide the other party towards understanding their perspective without triggering a defensive reaction.
Patience in Conflict Management
Workplace conflicts are rarely easy to resolve. Patience lies at the heart of the soft skills that enable more effective conflict management.
Your managers need to keep in mind that the issue causing division cannot always be resolved straight away. This remains true even when the solution appears obvious.
Combine this soft conflict-resolution skill with interactive tools to enhance effective conflict management across your organisation.
Emotional Intelligence: A Crucial Soft Skill for Conflict Resolution
Emotional intelligence is one of the key soft skills valued in consultancies, large corporations, and SMEs alike. It refers to the ability to recognise and understand not only the manager’s own emotions, but above all, those of their team members.
Once mastered, this skill helps build trusting relationships. It also supports a motivating work atmosphere. It’s equally valuable for defusing conflict and guiding parties towards compromise.
Inclusive communication is the perfect complement to this skill!
Open Communication to Defuse Workplace Conflict
A good manager must ensure that an open line of communication exists between the parties in conflict. This soft skill is the most effective way to foster healthy professional relationships over the long term.
Through non-violent communication, you can establish an appropriate channel for dialogue whenever new challenges arise. Strengthening assertive communication within your teams is therefore well worth the investment!
Positivity in Decision-Making
A positive attitude is one of the most sought-after conflict resolution skills in a project leader. Positivity helps refocus priorities on solutions and also makes team members feel more at ease.
Always promote a positive mindset when facing workplace conflict. Humour and stress management can be valuable tools for resolving issues constructively. At the same time, you’ll strengthen team cohesion and support your team leaders in breaking deadlocks by encouraging the right questions.
Objectivity to Prevent Workplace Conflict
This soft conflict-resolution skill allows you to view issues from a more detached perspective. It helps you focus on gathering information without placing blame on the other party.
As an example, 94% of employees say they would stay longer at a company that invests in their career development. So, with a clear and objective approach, you can invest in collaborative tools and a personalised training plan to bring added value to your organisation.
How Can You Develop Your Conflict Management Skills?
Consider investing in conflict management training to strengthen your managers’ soft skills. Choose a solution that puts people at the heart of leadership and supports you in handling crisis situations effectively.
Conflicts also arise from a lack of understanding of your employees’ true needs. We recommend using intuitive tools to monitor your teams’ ongoing development and anticipate areas of disagreement. Choose to automate the tracking of skill progression.