Due to the large number of acute unresolved conflicts, there is an actual need to develop new effective tools for dealing with complicated problems. This article considers the role of metaphor as a communicative and cognitive tool of conflict management. The analysis of foreign and domestic literature made it possible for the author to describe the metaphor within the framework of mythological consciousness, linguistics and cognitive science and to offer a new instrumental approach to metaphor which pays attention to its intentional functional using. Such approach reveals its multifunctional role in managing both interpersonal and group conflicts. The important functional meaning of metaphor in negotiation, mediation and conflict consulting is shown. Metaphor as an instrument allows a specialist to overcome important problems in situations which can’t be resolved by traditional methods. Among them establishing contact with clients, increasing awareness level of the situation perception, expanding vision of co