Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head
William Shakespeare
(from “As you like it”)
Introduction
We certainly recognize grievance when we see it. When it manifests as resentment, discontent, jealousy, spite or any of a long list of other conflict symptoms, we understand it for what it is. Some of our established dispute resolution processes even recognize this human interaction phenomenon: we have a grievance that we can lodge at work, as part of the formal grievance process, we can lodge grievances in response to our service delivery disappointments and so on. But if more often than not remains at that superficial level that we experience grievance, often feeling rather at the mercy of this popular modern conflict cudgel.
The premise of this article is then based on the understanding that we would be better served, and better able to effectively manage our professional and personal conflicts, if we understood grievance as a conflict dynamic, at a more advanced level than what is commonly the case.
A working definition of grievance
As a matter of practical application in conflicts, for our present purpose, we can understand a grievance as an expressed or unexpressed view on an actual or perceived wrong, injustice, oversight or other event(s) that acts as a conflict cause and/or trigger for such party, and for which the aggrieved party expects redress in some form. This distinguishes an actual grievance (whether justified or not) from a clinical abuse of the grievance process and dynamics to try to achieve an undue benefit in favour of such party.
Influence of identity conflicts
I have written extensively on the importance and content of identity conflicts in the understanding and management of modern conflicts, and a certain basic level of understanding of those concepts are presupposed for our discussion here (or see the reference list below). Briefly put, our identities and values largely determine many of the moving parts of our conflicts, often without us being aware of their influence. From our identities and values flow our expectations, goals and desires, and inevitably, at times, when these are frustrated, they give rise to our grievances. We need not expand too much on that long list of causal links here, and suffice to say for now that our grievances are composed of many inter-related parts, some that form part of our very essence. As such, some of these grievances and their related processes can take on incredibly important, even existential, value for some of us.
The weaponization of grievance
Grievances, emotions, guilt and accusation have of course always had a special place in our conflicts, especially the interpersonal versions of such conflicts. They have mostly been studied as symptoms of conflicts, and managed as such. Conflict studies, with the benefit of its modern multidisciplinary approach, have however recently gained invaluable insights into the causes and triggers of grievances, and this improved understanding has brought about a range of improved solutions and options in those conflicts. That study has shown patterns of certain modern conflicts undoubtedly ramping up the volume on grievance as an attack weapon, as a very destructive conflict tool that rewrites some of the older textbook strategies and requires a skilled handling in modern conflict management. These new applications of grievance entails using such grievances as identity protection, used as weapons to elevate the in-group while vilifying or negating the out-group, to shut down debate, to force narratives, to change perceptions and moral normativity.
A grievance is created and shaped, and any hint of criticism or rejection of that “truth” is then torn down through social ostracism, cancel culture, public vilification, career harm and so on. It is in this guise that grievance as conflict dynamic should be studied and understood at an advanced level if one is going to try and manage conflict involving these currents.
The science of grievance
Input from a variety of conflict and even unrelated fields, including psychology, sociology, neuroscience and others have made it possible to study and understand grievances at their core, which in turn makes it possible for us to better anticipate such grievances, learn to deal with them, effectively negate, resolve or transform them, and to avoid the toxic, harmful, costly conflict cycles that we see so often. More practically, this shows us how ignoring grievances, or mismanaging them even when we do have good intentions to deal with them can actually exacerbate existing conflicts, and perpetuate them well beyond what could have been possible. Much of our annual strikes and workplace protests, and the resultant costs and harm to productivity, workplace relationships and other important dynamics can be traced back to the ineffective management of conflict grievances.
A few examples of improved grievance conflict management
Modern conflict management offers the following examples of the practical application and management of grievance in conflicts:
(a) We understand much more about the timing of conflict interventions when grievances are involved. Timing and sequence are particularly important here, as grievances more often than not involve a range of sensitivities, a history of poorly managed earlier conflicts and strong polarization.
(b) Early intervention in the life cycle of grievance conflicts is, generally speaking, crucial. When skilfully managed, this negates subsequent resentments and the harm of cyclical unresolved conflicts, with a measurable positive impact on several commercial metrics, including saved costs, reduced internal conflict and litigation, loss of productivity and so on.
(c) The harm that neutrality can do in grievance conflicts cannot be understated, and progress here leads to much improved conflict outcomes when handled without such errors that were once regarded as conventional wisdom.
(d) Process and procedure has become of prime importance in grievance conflicts. Case studies show, in summary, that people are quite prepared to do harm to themselves if they believe that they have been the victim of unfairness in procedural systems, and conversely, that they are meaningfully more likely to co-operate with even unpopular demands if they feel heard and understood as part of a transparent and manifestly fair process, consistently applied. Here again the ghosts of identity conflicts must be factored in.
(e) Persuading people caught in the middle of a grievance conflict takes more than just objective facts and assumed self-evident truths. Efforts at trying to convince or change opinions by the use of such facts in the middle of a grievance conflict, as a form of conflict heavily influenced by the dynamics of identity conflicts, turn out to be not just ineffective but actually counter-productive, entrenching people in their previously assumed views. Grievances cannot be legislated, ordered or ignored out of existence. Reading this type of conflict wrong can, despite our best intentions, simply make things worse.
(f) The accurate and timeous distinction between a genuine grievance, a misguided and unwarranted grievance (but nevertheless still a grievance) and a pure abuse of the grievance mechanics dictate the correct and effective conflict response, and getting this wrong leads to expensive and harmful mistakes, as so many “cancel culture” examples show.
(g) The institutionalized packaging and managing of grievances, especially in the workplace and as part of brand management, is generally and pervasively outdated, to the extent that it has become a part of the conflict causes and triggers. This is however completely curable with the correct upgrades of system, skills transfer and modernization of strategies.
Conclusion
The essence of grievances are so often understandably lost in the loud, often public details of such grievances. They are regarded as nuisances, harms and irritations to be dealt with and disposed of as soon and as inexpensively as possible, as inescapable occupational hazards. Once properly understood and prepared for, grievances become early warning systems, events that have clear benefits for all involved, opportunities for gain and progress. These advanced and improved results can relatively quickly and cost-effectively be achieved, through formal and informal methods and processes, in workplace or interpersonal conflicts.
Summary of main sources, references and suggested reading
1. Sociological and applied psychology statistics, delivered at the popular level by people like Jonathan Haidt, Jay van Bavel to name a few, easily accessible online and on social media.
2. Dangerous Magic: essays on conflict resolution in South Africa, by Andre Vlok, Paradigm Media (2022)
3. Relevant articles (including my past and future work on this subject) for your consideration and their source material can be found at www.conflict-conversations.co.za
4. Several scientific studies in support of our discussion available on request.
(Andre Vlok can be contacted on andre@conflictresolutioncentre.co.za for any further information)
(c) Andre Vlok
October 2024