Dealing with Conflict Constructively in the Workplace
Working on your own is a dream come true. But as you grow your business, you have to work with others too. Your employees would come from different backgrounds and experiences and not everyone might be on your ‘page’.
Work pressures can be stressful, and everyone deals with stress differently. Everyone has different ideas on how things should be done, and disagreements may arise. It’s okay to have different ideas but how you share it is important.
Here are some tips when you are dealing with conflict:
- Listening – always give others a chance to air their views and ideas before giving any solutions. Listening goes a long way as it is a caring way for understanding where a person is coming from.
- Empathising – place yourself in the shoes of the other person. Seek to genuinely understand what they are feeling and what they are trying to communicate.
- Paraphrasing – to ensure that you really understand what the other person is saying, say what they just said in your own words. Seek validation.
- Set the context – Now that you have listened, share your thoughts in a manner that you would have liked to receive feedback. Be calm.
- Ask for alternatives – coming up with solutions jointly helps everyone to be committed.