Interview: Jürgen Dostal about conflict culture in companies

PROCONSENS.AT : Can you share a concrete example from your professional practice in which mediation successfully contributed to conflict resolution?

Jürgen Dostal: I always like to tell you how I came to mediation. Personally, I was very impressed by this form of finding a solution when I was part of a conflict within the company. Two areas, each with 50 people, faced each other in a massive problem. Communication was already very difficult. The company was at risk of being damaged because the parties had already undermined and harmed each other. The mediation process only lasted one and a half days, with everyone involved removing themselves from the company context and going into private meetings. The result was astonishing: through simple communication measures, the parties quickly realized that they themselves were victims of the management's competing goals. This realization did not create deep friendship, but it did create understanding for each other's positions. With very simple agreements, cooperation between the units was subsequently secured again.

PROCONSENS.AT : Wouldn't it have helped if the company in question implemented measures to prevent conflict and promote a healthy communication culture?

Jürgen Dostal: I'm a big fan of being prepared for things. It's good to have a plan when problems arise in your personal life or at work. But I don't believe in suppressing conflict. Very often these are not caused by the people involved, as the example just described shows. It is important to train managers so that they themselves are able to perceive conflicts and learn to deal with them proactively. Because in every conflict there is a great opportunity for reorientation. This can even be a source of innovation for companies.

PROCONSENS.AT : What measures do you take to ensure that the results of corporate mediation are sustainable and bring about long-term positive changes?

Jürgen Dostal: As a decision-maker in a company, you can decide whether you want to put out a fire quickly or whether you want to build a culture of conflict in the company in the medium term. We are available for both. Our experience is that companies are often amazed at the potential that is released from resolving a single conflict. More and more companies are seeing this opportunity on a broad basis as an opportunity for the future.

PROCONSENS.AT : Can you tell us a little more about conflict culture?

Jürgen Dostal: The conflict culture of an individual, group or organization refers to the way conflicts are perceived, addressed and resolved. A positive conflict culture promotes open communication and cooperative solutions. It encourages the constructive use of differences rather than avoiding or suppressing them. A healthy conflict culture creates space for diverse perspectives, strengthens trust and enables sustainable relationships. By dealing with differences of opinion respectfully, conflict is viewed as an opportunity for further development. The PROCONSENS.AT team has set out to introduce the requirements for this to companies. This has a lot to do with changing attitudes. Ultimately, this also requires infrastructure, training and much more. to be provided.

PROCONSENS.AT : What final tip do you have for company managers on this matter?

Jürgen Dostal: Question your own form of communication. By this I don't mean that you don't give your employees enough information. But: Are you sure that you will receive all relevant information in a timely manner, even in critical situations? What is filtered out in the hierarchy, how does the potential for conflict behave in the general population of employees? To get a new perspective, a look from outside can be very advisable.

PROCONSENS.AT : Jürgen Dostal, thank you for the interview. I hope that companies will benefit from your approach to conflict culture.