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Conflict Resolution in The Workplace
By John Wolf
The role of an organization leader includes the responsibility for a working environment that lets the workforce to thrive grow and feel comfortable.
When turf wars, disagreements or power struggles occur and escalate into conflicts between the staff, it is your time to intervene immediately.
Communication is first
You do not have the option off not taking care of the problem. You have to intervene if you value your business or organization, and the positive culture that is needed for the success of it. Your mediation skills are needed, and your intervention is essential.
There is the small day to day disagreements in any workplace. Those are not causing significant damage to the organization. Sometimes it ends by the employees themselves and some other times it is part of the growing and problem-solving process of the organization.
Conflicts solving video
Longtime conflicts are a challenge you must attend instantly. It is shown that the team cannot resolve them by themselves. The supervisor intervention is needed.
The mediator job is essential
Do not ignore the situation thinking it will just go away because it will not go, it may seem to be solved, but it is still underground and will erupt its ugly face at the worst moment, create stress on your staff and avoid the peace you need in the workplace for the works keep advancing and accomplishing .
Order a meeting with both sides of the conflict, do not seat with one side only, it will polarize the positions, trying to win your attention and get an edge of the other side. Your goal is achieving ending the conflict no being a Judge or a Jury, in front of you are the employees of the two bands trying to convince you of the merits of their side.
You have to remember that the conflict is between your employees that have to work and accomplish jobs for the organization you are working together with the employees, putting the energy into fighting will take the energy from the work and accomplishment will suffer from it.
When a workplace has bad blood in its atmosphere people will be walking as if they are walking on eggshells when they meet the antagonists, this will create a hostile environment for every one of your employees, not only for those that are evolved in the conflict. If you do not act firmly and quickly, you will find all your staff divided between the two sides. You do not want to see it happening. It will push down the productivity of all your staff.
A punch is not a solution
As your sole interest is to resolve the conflict, take this steps.
How to Mediate and Resolve Conflict
You have to take this steps to resolve the conflict in your workplace:
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Invite the anatomists to a joint meeting at your office or a big enough place at the office building your company have its operation and let each side to tell his story and point of view about the conflict, do it without letting the other side to interrupt or comment. The goal of this meeting is to put clear the what is the disagreement and conflict views of the two parties.
If there is an attack of one side employee to the other group employee you have to intervene if it happens. This is not acceptable.
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Ask the participants to tell you what is the specific action that they think that the other party should take that will resolve the difference between them.
You better get three or four suggestions so you will have options for negotiations.
A first example is:
John can say that he needs the reports from Roth at the end of Tuesday so he will be able to work on it first thing in the morning of Wednesday so he will have enough time to meet the due date at Friday noon.
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A second example is:
“I would like to have the responsibility on all the sales team members and follow up the clients’ development, The way it is working now John and I do not know what the other person is doing”. As you are the supervisor, it is your responsibility to help your team to resolve their conflict. Ask your self, what is causing the staff members to fail?
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A good move will be asking the parties to tall what does the opposite party can change by doing or stop doing that will make thing better and suffocate the conflict?
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Antagonists can discuss and accept to make the changes that are needed for the resolution of the conflict, Commit to communicating the changes were made. Commit to treating each other with respect. Disagreement can be good Catalyst for important renovation and advanced way of doing the jobs but never touch the personal dignity, never let it become toxic, it may ruin your workplace.
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Make it clear to the parties that you never take a side, as it is impossible for an outsider to the conflict to know the truth of the matter. The solution of the conflict is in the hands of the parties, finding no resolution may cause the dismissal of both parties.
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A good closing will be expressing your faith that both parties have the trait to resolve crisis because of some differences and keep contributing to the organization their good job they always do. Put time for a progress review.
Bringing a conflict to a friendly end is a challenging goal, It is an important part of your role as the manager. Your performance in resolving conflict is part of the traits you need to show for your future success.
Herb Cohen words about negotiation can help both sides.
Herb Cohen’s Defining Negotiation Herb Cohen’s Defining Negotiation
“Life is a constant series of actions where we attempt to influence others. We seem forever absorbed in trying to get people to agree with us. Whatever the case or cause, whenever you communicate with an objective in mind, engaging in social exchange to affect someone’s attitude or behavior, you are playing the negotiating game. Like it or not, your attitude and actions have the potential to determine the nature of a relationship, the distribution of available resources and the satisfaction of those involved.”
“Above all, negotiation is a pervasive process in which people ultimately attempt to reach joint decision on matters of common concern in situations in which there is initial disagreement. Thus, a negotiation always requires both shared interests and issues of conflict. Obviously, without commonality there is no reason to achieve resolution. So without discord there is nothing to negotiate about.”