|
Dealing with Conflict
Tips
for Dealing with Employee Conflicts…
William A.
Maloney Sr., CPBA, CPVA & CAIA
Conflict
Management — closing the communications gap
Conflict in the
workplace is disruptive to everyone and may well
influence service to customers and damage your
company’s image. Keep these thoughts in mind
when dealing with conflict:
· Realize
everyone has his or her own perception of
reality.
· As
time lapses objectivity is replaced with
subjectivity without written documentation.
· Most
communication problems do not resolve themselves
· Communication
problems often become disruptive to others and
impacts quality and productivity and lead to
turnover.
Rules for
engaging individuals in conflict
· Parties
must seek to understand—do not correct or
clarify while the other person is speaking.
· Listen
for content and context; do not judge the
delivery of the message.
· Each
person needs to take responsibility for his or
her action, behavior and feelings. Maintain
focus on a positive outcome and do not be
sidetracked with irrelevant issues.
· Criticizing
others’ behaviors or personality characteristic
is not acceptable and will only increase
defensiveness and extinguish the desire to
communicate and improve the relationships
· It’s
okay to call for time-outs, just make sure that
if you do take a time-out that there is a
commitment that the process will continue, at a
less stressful time.
· The
resolve of both individuals must stay focused on
seeking to understand. However, understanding
does not always mean agreement.
Process to
deal with conflict
· Establish
common outcome goals.
· Clarify
the severity of not achieving the goals.
· Identify
any obstacles preventing resolution.
· Each
person will discuss his or her perceptions of
the problems.
· Each
person will outline specific behaviors they
would like the other to START, STOP and/or
CONTINUE to improve their relationship. (These
comments must be presented in constructive and
complimentary manner; all comments either
improve the results or enhance the relationship.
Follow-up
one-on-one discussions
Create a
timeframe to continue the START, STOP and/or
CONTINUE process, we are motivated by dates.
These sessions should be documented and sent to
the overseeing manager. Each participant must
detail specific areas of progress and remaining
concerns—with a suggested action plan.
Management’s position in dealing with
individuals in conflict is to direct those
involved with a process to Management’s position
in dealing with individuals in conflict is to
direct those involved with a process to resolve
difficulties and not take sides. Following this
approach will enable individuals to more forward
in a positive manner.
If you have any
questions about Dealing with Conflicts or
implementing Start, Stop Continue thinking
please contact us.
Top of Page
Top of
Page
|
Welcome to 
