A conflict of interest happens when a person or an organisation have more than one goal or interest at the same time. It also happens when someone looks for personal benefits and gains instead of the interest of the organisation. Conflicts of interest can vary according to the nature of the organisation. It can happen between two or more people or organisations.
When there is a conflict of interest, it needs intervention from another party to resolve it, most of the times. The major causes of conflict of interests are financial gains, over attachment to something or stubbornness.
Identify the situation
Conflict of interest can happen in any business. Situation 1 - An employee who works as a content writer tries to make a deal with the client who already works with his organisation. Situation 2 – A company promoting the campaign for climate change but not controlling their harmful emissions.
Report the issue
There could be a conflict since when the information passes from one source to another, there are chances of miscommunication or misinterpretation. In such a scenario, it is ideal to report the issue to a supervisor who can immediately communicate with the people involved in the conflict. If there are less people and it is viable for you to reach them, you can resolve the issue by holding an online or an offline meeting where you can clear the conflict. In such, the degree of miscommunication is huge, a notice or an email clarifying the misunderstanding can be immediately shared with everyone involved.
Effective Communication
Communication is a part of life and no organisation can survive without it. There are various forms of communication known to humankind these days. One can always communicate verbally or orally with clients and colleagues. It can be done through direct face to face conversation, online meeting or through a phone call. However, to pass the information to a large group, one might use different forms of written and visual communication. It could be done by using a notice board, emails, online and offline meetings, announcements, posters, social media and mobile texts.
Make clear goals
When you are designing your personal goals in the organization, try to define them clearly. At the end of the day, your job is to make your boss happy and work for the welfare of the company. Try to incorporate your goals into it and avoid such personal goals that do not align with the interest of the company. This will reduce the chances of conflict and make your job easier.
