Conflict consultation

Contact points for staff members in the case of non-scientific conflicts

Wherever people come together, there will be conflicts and problems. Depending on personality and disposition, there are different ways of handling such issues: wordily, factually, noisily, silently, aggressively or not at all. Unresolved conflicts may have an impact on the overall working climate and may significantly affect the motivation, even of staff members who are not directly involved. This is why it is important for the conflicting parties as well as their environment that conflicts are addressed and solved in a sustainable manner.

You do not have to find a solution by yourself, if you find yourself in a conflict or problematic situation. There are different points of contact within the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, depending on whether it is a conflict with your peers, with superior or subordinate staff members, whether you feel discriminated against due to your personal situation, or if you are currently unable to perform the way you wish you could, owing to professional or private issues.

Scientific Conflicts

Scientific conflicts can have various causes, such as conflicts over authorship in scientific publications or the violation of good scientific practice in experiments. You can find information on how to proceed in the case of scientific conflicts on the intranet.

Non-scientific conflicts

It is not always possible to avoid conflicts in the interaction and cooperation among colleagues. The correct handling of conflicts that arise is therefore essential, not least because unresolved or smouldering conflicts can influence the working atmosphere and considerably dampen the motivation of the individual.
At the Institute there are a whole range of possibilities for resolving non-scientific conflicts. A confidential and neutral contact person is of great importance for the person concerned. Both internal and external contact points are available at the Institute and in the Max Planck Society. Further information can be found on the intranet.

Overview of the representatives at the institute

You will find more detailed information on conflict management and contact points of the Max Planck Society here.