Conflict resolution (CR) has been known by several different names, including conflict management, dispute resolution, and alternative dispute resolution. Regardless of the name, the core skills and interventions are the same, and some of them will be familiar to employee assistance professionals. Opportunities for collaboration between EA and CR professionals have expanded over the last few years (Margulies 2008; Porter and Sawyer-Harmon 2005; Wilburn 2006), in part because of the similarities between the two fields. Both seek to empower individuals to resolve their own problems, use similar skill sets, and encourage alternative means of resolving workplace disputes and conflicts. This article provides an overview of some of the basic skills and interventions used by conflict resolution professionals and lists CR-specific references and resources. It also offers examples of direct applications of CR skills to EA practices.
