Running into conflict with your colleagues is at times unavoidable and can be tricky to deal with, often leaving you feeling tense or anxious. We’ve put together some of our consultants’ top tips for managing any issues that arise in the workplace, so you can work in perfect office harmony.
- Deal with the problem immediately. Leaving the conflict to stew can intensify the situation, making a molehill into a giant mountain.
- Communicate clearly and honestly. Getting everything out in the open articulately speeds up finding a solution.
- Adapt your expectations in terms of how your colleagues work- don’t lower just change them. Clearly defined and realistic goals for each worker can prevent conflict.
- Look at the problem from a different perspective. In a conflict, the other person may think they have a more efficient solution – put yourself in their shoes and think about why they are suggesting it.
- Stay calm. Don’t let your emotions drive you in a conflict, things can be said or done in the heat of the moment that can’t be forgotten or overlooked…
- Follow up after the solution has been identified, ensuring that problem has truly been solved means it won’t creep up on you again.
- Learn from conflict. Use the issue as a chance to learn – why did it arise in the first place? How did you solve it? How can it be avoided in the future?