Communities bring people together, and often times this means individuals of different personalities. Conflicts between these residents can put community management teams in difficult positions, as they try to navigate the conflict and come out with a resolution that retains a feeling of peace for all. At OccupancySolutions.com, we want to help community managers to better resolve conflict to achieve that true community feeling.

Ideally, your residents will be able to settle conflicts themselves. They know that conflicts arise when different personalities come together, and they know how to handle these conflicts before they’re ever brought to your attention. However, things don’t always occur this way, and a few strategies for helping residents to resolve their conflicts are:

  • Really listen to complaints and show genuine concern – Your knowledge of a conflict will typically begin with a complaint. It might be a complaint from one of the involved parties, or it might be a complaint from another resident tired of the conflict happening around them. It’s not as important where the complaint comes from as it is how you respond to it. Really listen to these complaints and show genuine concern for the feelings and outcomes involved.
  • Hear out any defenses – Every story has two sides, and it’s important to hear both of them. When a complaint has been filed or you’ve been notified of a conflict, make sure to hear out the opposite side as well. It’s important to remember that the truth of the matter typically lies between story A and story B.
  • Document any meetings – You may have to hold meetings with party A and party B to have the conflict resolved. If you do hold any meetings between the conflicting parties, make sure to document the time, date, and goings on in all meetings for your records in case you need them.
  • Complete follow-up – Sometimes conflicts resolve and they’re great going forward, and other times they’re not. To catch conflicts before they arise again, complete a follow-up with both parties to make sure resolution methods are still working out.

At OccupancySolutions.com, we know that a community that gets along is a community that is happy and positive for all. To create that true community feeling, conflict resolution skills are a must. If you’re interested in learning more about resident conflict resolution, contact us at OccupancySolutions.com today.