How to Manage Workplace Conflicts
11 June 2014
Read by 3077 persons
Trouble between a manager and their team, clashes between company members, blockages, stress... Conflict is normal and inherent in any human relationship. The important thing is not to try to avoid it but to know how to anticipate it and defuse it before it escalates and causes pain and emotional suffering.
Often, conflicts are internalized by team members until a final trigger causes a crisis. There are several types of conflict with multiple causes and different associated risks (professional disagreements, power struggles, cultural conflicts, personality differences...). The goal is to know them well to better manage them.
Anticipating Conflicts
It's not about preventing conflicts from happening, but trying to anticipate them to minimize their consequences.
To do this, certain management errors, which are often sources of conflict, can be avoided such as:
- Showing favoritism among team members;
- Not giving enough importance to a problem encountered by a team member;
- Rejecting ideas proposed by the team without concrete and relevant arguments;
- Not trying to understand why some people on the team are demotivated by their work.
Managers, by avoiding this type of behavior, will prevent risks of jealousy and disagreements among your collaborators and thus promote teamwork in a climate of trust and serenity.
Knowing How to Communicate
Many interpersonal conflicts are often underlying. If prolonged, this state of crisis deteriorates working relationships, sometimes leading to total and manifest breakdown. Yet, a frank and honest explanation is enough to "break the ice" and de-escalate a situation often full of mutual misinterpretations.
Talking openly allows you to address the causes of the conflict in order to bring it to a positive resolution. The logical next step is to find solutions that are acceptable to everyone; the people involved and yourself, the manager... However, the decisions made must be compatible with the company's objectives.
Developing Your Mediation Skills
The interdependence of stakeholders should encourage them to seek a "win-win" outcome and not a "lose-lose" outcome. Mediation is then the way to find solutions that are beneficial to both parties and thus lead them to a mutual agreement.
By developing your mediation skills, you can unlock a situation that is harmful to the company and thus avoid resorting to legal action.
By organizing a meeting between the protagonists, you will facilitate communication and structure the discussion until the final resolution of the problem.
In conclusion, here are five key attitudes to adopt to effectively manage conflicts:
Consultation and teamwork
Respect for others and their feelings
Continuous self-reflection and empathy
Effective communication: active listening and openness
Commitment to pursuing common goals and succeeding
Philippe Montant
CEO of ReKrute
Often, conflicts are internalized by team members until a final trigger causes a crisis. There are several types of conflict with multiple causes and different associated risks (professional disagreements, power struggles, cultural conflicts, personality differences...). The goal is to know them well to better manage them.
Anticipating Conflicts
It's not about preventing conflicts from happening, but trying to anticipate them to minimize their consequences.
To do this, certain management errors, which are often sources of conflict, can be avoided such as:
- Showing favoritism among team members;
- Not giving enough importance to a problem encountered by a team member;
- Rejecting ideas proposed by the team without concrete and relevant arguments;
- Not trying to understand why some people on the team are demotivated by their work.
Managers, by avoiding this type of behavior, will prevent risks of jealousy and disagreements among your collaborators and thus promote teamwork in a climate of trust and serenity.
Knowing How to Communicate
Many interpersonal conflicts are often underlying. If prolonged, this state of crisis deteriorates working relationships, sometimes leading to total and manifest breakdown. Yet, a frank and honest explanation is enough to "break the ice" and de-escalate a situation often full of mutual misinterpretations.
Talking openly allows you to address the causes of the conflict in order to bring it to a positive resolution. The logical next step is to find solutions that are acceptable to everyone; the people involved and yourself, the manager... However, the decisions made must be compatible with the company's objectives.
Developing Your Mediation Skills
The interdependence of stakeholders should encourage them to seek a "win-win" outcome and not a "lose-lose" outcome. Mediation is then the way to find solutions that are beneficial to both parties and thus lead them to a mutual agreement.
By developing your mediation skills, you can unlock a situation that is harmful to the company and thus avoid resorting to legal action.
By organizing a meeting between the protagonists, you will facilitate communication and structure the discussion until the final resolution of the problem.
In conclusion, here are five key attitudes to adopt to effectively manage conflicts:
Consultation and teamwork
Respect for others and their feelings
Continuous self-reflection and empathy
Effective communication: active listening and openness
Commitment to pursuing common goals and succeeding
Philippe Montant
CEO of ReKrute
