Even in organizations that rely heavily on harmony among colleagues and advocate a healthy work environment, problematic situations can arise.
As inevitable as conflict situations are, there are ways to achieve a better conflict management at work.
Choosing to ignore or not address the issue properly can have negative consequences for both the people involved and the organization. By letting days go by without intervening, the repercussions may spread around and affect the work of others and the general work climate.
You have to be well equipped at all costs to deal with a stress management situation at work; here are 6 steps that will surely help you restore a harmonious climate!
- Understand what makes them who they are
The sources of conflict can have different causes: conflicts of values, conflicts of personalities, conflicts of interest, etc. All people have somewhat of a different behavioral DNA, and one situation can have completely opposite reactions to everyone.
Understanding that beliefs, natural functions and automatisms vary from person to person is the basis of any analysis leading to a conflict resolution in the workplace. But beyond fully understanding what makes each person who they are, we must above all learn to respect the ideas and values of each individual, even if they are different.
- Take advantage of differences and similarities
Being different is not a fault, on the contrary! In a conflict management situation at work, learning to take advantage of people’s differences is a good basis for a return to effective collaboration. Take advantage of these differences by looking for unifying points and avenues to see how each can be useful to others, in order to work in a collaborative atmosphere.
- Choose a good speaker
The choice of the mediator for the resolution of conflict at work is decisive for the success of the intervention. Assign the conflict an impartial speaker, who is not in conflict of interest and who will master solutions to all styles of conflict attitudes.
In order to minimize the harmful impacts in more delicate situations and to avoid outcomes with negative consequences, the practitioner must propose an objective and constructive intervention and suggest possible solutions to all the parties involved.
- Meet the people involved individually
So that everyone freely presents their vision of the situation, it is essential that each person involved be met individually. Get people to take a constructive, non-destructive attitude. A positive mindset is mandatory.
Asking the right questions and adapting your interventions according to the attitude and personality of each individual involved will lead to conflict management at work.
- Meet the people involved together
All the pieces of the puzzle usually come together during the team meeting. Make sure you follow your plan during the meeting and focus on the expectations and goals you were trying to achieve initially. During the meeting, discussions on the various current issues, as well as the consequences of these on the work dynamic must take place
- Make a regular assessment and follow-up
Present the main elements that emerged from the resolution analysis and write tailor-made plans for each taking into account the facts, the personalities of each and the professional bond that unites them. Make sure to set realistic goals to avoid making the situation worse.
If this last step is not followed, you can almost already give up your intervention. Offer support and guidance to affected individuals by highlighting improvements and providing constructive feedback. And trying to resolve the situation before a conflict arises is certainly crucial.
