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Conflicts can be a good thing. Yes, you read that right: Because they help us move forward - even in club life. Differences of opinion prompt us to deal with an issue, find compromises and perhaps even a better solution than the one we have in mind. Conflicts, if recognised early and dealt with correctly, can highlight grievances, improve things and develop the association. The right conflict management is therefore important. Because it ensures harmonious co-operation within the association in the long term. The five steps of conflict management are
Conflict management in the club: How to resolve conflicts constructively and profitably
Things don't always run smoothly, and problems can sometimes arise in a club - that's completely normal. To help you tackle and resolve conflicts as systematically as possible, we present you with the five steps of conflict management, a simple guide to resolving differences of opinion.
Step 1: Recognising conflict
Sounds obvious, but in reality it is sometimes not: recognising a conflict at an early stage is easier said than done. This is because we naturally tend to perceive conflicts as annoying and prefer to close our eyes to them - until a confrontation is unavoidable. And that is the mistake: by identifying a problem at an early stage, we can resolve the looming conflict much more quickly and constructively than by ignoring it. This is because very few conflicts resolve themselves - on the contrary, they usually develop a momentum of their own. Signs of an emerging conflict can be very different and can be recognised by the following, for example:
- A person's increasing lack of interest: Frequent absences from meetings or events for no apparent reason
- Excessive insistence on formalities
- Exaggerated gesticulation, verbal aggression
- Disparagement of other people behind their backs
- Unusually high number of club withdrawals within a period of time
Step 2: Analyse the situation
Once you have taken the first step and recognised the problem, you should analyse the situation before taking action: What exactly does the conflict involve and what feelings does it trigger in you? Is it something personal between you and another person in the club, is it about a specific issue?
Another key question: What position are you in? In a club, the hierarchy is clearly recognisable - which is an advantage. Depending on the nature of the problem and your position, you may be able to contact a person above you: As a board member, it makes sense to involve the chairperson; as a trainer, you could turn to your department head. Together, you should consider in which constellation a clarifying discussion makes sense.
Step 3: Prepare the conversation
The next logical step is to seek a dialogue with the person(s) concerned. It is therefore important to ask the person(s) for a clarifying conversation and to find a suitable setting for it. Choose a time that suits everyone and set a sufficient duration. Timely is the key word here: it makes sense to sleep on it twice, but letting the matter fester for four weeks is definitely too long. You also decide on the appropriate platform: should the conversation take place as a video conference, telephone call or in person?
Conflicts should always take place in a confidential setting without spectators or bystanders. It is therefore also important to think carefully about who needs to be present at the meeting. To ensure that the meeting is as systematic and constructive as possible, you should also prepare yourself well:
Our tip: Get any frustration or aggression off your chest before the conversation. Talk to an uninvolved person about the situation and get your stress off your chest. This will make it even easier for you to remain objective and calm in the upcoming conflict discussion.
- Gather facts, arguments and concrete examples to support your point of view
- Be factual and objective in your arguments
- Avoid generalisations and exaggerations
- Understand your feelings on the subject of the dispute and describe them in the ‘I’ form
- Put yourself in the shoes of the other person(s) before the conversation and try to understand their arguments and point of view
In our free webinars for clubs, ‘the club strategists’ regularly pass on their concentrated club expertise on topics that concern sports clubs in practice. Here you can exchange ideas directly with experts and other club members - including on this topic at the next opportunity: You can find our webinars here.
Step 4: The clarifying conversation
With good preparation, nothing can go wrong now. During the conversation, remember to argue objectively and calmly and also ask the other party to describe their view of the problem. Instead of confronting the other party with accusations, describe how you feel from an ‘I’ perspective. Listening attentively and letting them finish not only shows respect, but also has a de-escalating effect. Even if you don't accept the other person's point of view, you should try to understand their needs and arguments.
Only with understanding can you succeed in finding a solution or compromise together that allows everyone involved to save face. This is also easier if you realise that both sides have the same goal: to run and develop the club in the best possible way.
Step 5: Document the results
Documentation - sounds unnecessary, but it is super important to record the results of the conversation in writing. Have you solved the problem? Great! Then you should document in a protocol which steps now follow and which people take on which to-do's.
You haven't found a solution? Not the end of the world! Even if you can't solve the problem at first, you should agree on a next step so that the conflict doesn't remain unresolved. This could be another discussion with a larger group of participants in the organisation, for example. Umbrella organisations or professional mediators also offer help and can assist with dispute resolution.
Once the conflict has been resolved, you can finally focus fully on the sport again. Do you want to create more identification within the club? Then let your creativity run wild in the Spized jersey configurator and design your new club shirts or jerseys quickly, easily and uniquely - perfect for all teams and officials!
Conflicts are part of everyday life and should not be put on the back burner, even in club life. Resolution rather than avoidance is the motto - and hopefully our five steps to conflict management in clubs will help you with this.
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