The document discusses conflict resolution at Flipkart. It defines conflict as differences of opinion on objectives, processes, timelines, or responsibilities. While some conflict is healthy, it should not be ignored. The key steps to resolve conflict are: acknowledge it, communicate with stakeholders, and resolve it through logic, evidence, or escalating to a neutral third party. Methods include establishing ground rules for objective discussions, discussing the issues to find agreements and next steps, collecting data if needed, and escalating decision-making to gain wisdom. Once resolved, the decision should be clearly communicated and all parties should commit to the outcome.

1. Conflict Resolution
Shankar Manian
Flipkart

2. What is conflict?
● Difference of opinion on
○ What needs to happen
○ How it needs to happen
○ When it needs to happen
○ Who does it
● Illustrations
○ "What are the quality checks for a given change?"
○ "Should we have atomicity across entities in APL?"
○ "Should a field be part of creditor report?"
○ "Tabs or spaces?"

3. Should we avoid conflict?
● No. Healthy conflicts are good for organization.
● Not having conflict means either
○ What we are doing is not important enough
○ We are not passionate about what we are doing
○ We are not speaking up

4. Should we ignore conflict?
● No, because
○ We are not moving in a single direction
○ Neither party is happy and leads to an unhealthy
workplace
○ Important Decisions don’t get made

5. Steps on Conflict Resolution
● Acknowledge
○ Recognize there is conflict
● Communicate
○ Let all stakeholders know about the conflict
○ Articulate the steps you are taking to resolve it
● Resolve
○ Logic
○ Evidence
○ Wisdom

6. Methods to resolve conflict

7. Ground rules
● Not about who is right but what is
● Time bounded decision making
● Disagree but commit
● Don’t be emotional
○ Objective cost vs benefit analysis
○ Right doesn’t always win
○ Understand no decision is irreversible or unchangeable

8. Discuss (Logic)
● Agree on the points of conflict
○ What is at stake?
○ Identify points of agreements and disagreements
○ Prioritize the areas of conflicts
● Argue your case with supporting evidence
○ Avoid Logical Fallacies
○ Avoid Confirmation Bias
● Listen to the other view point
○ Don’t interrupt
○ Articulate the other person’s viewpoint
● Agree on next steps
○ Time bounded
○ Action oriented

9. Collect Data (Evidence)
● What data will help change your mind ?
● Agree on Methodology of collection and curation of the data
● Focus on behavior and events not personalities
● Data collection has a cost
○ Come to it only if available data is insufficient
○ Acknowledge there is insufficient data most of the time
○ Cost vs benefit analysis

10. Escalate (Wisdom)
● Costliest method, use sparingly
● Neutral third party to make the decision
○ Mutually agreed
● Escalate to decide, not to complain
● Appeal to wisdom, not to authority
● Rinse and repeat the first two steps
● If the third party can’t decide or you lose trust in their ability to decide, escalate
further
○ Keep escalating till there is a decision

11. Once Resolved...
● Bring visibility on the decision
● Agreement on if and when the decision will
be reviewed
● Commit to the decision

12. Q & A