Conflicts can happen at the workplace at any given time, and when they do, everything can change for the worse. However, it is important to deal with conflict right away instead of avoiding it because negative emotions can pile up and lead to even more conflicts at higher scales.
Training such as workplace conflict coaching can help you develop the necessary skills to deal with conflicts and exercise control. If a conflict occurs between your colleagues, step in and act as a mediator and help them reach common ground.
If you have a conflict with someone else, you should resolve it privately. Consider contacting a conflict coach to learn valuable skills that will transcend the workspace environment. Here are some top ways to ease tension at work:
Listen to Everyone
It is essential not to take sides in conflicts, regardless of the circumstances. If you do, one party will feel neglected and won’t trust you as easily when you approach them as they would if you didn’t take sides.
If you want to be a mediator, you must be neutral and fair with everyone involved. Allowing everyone to share their feedback is essential, so you must avoid blaming situations. Instead, focus on a meeting with a clear objective where conflicting parties can freely express themselves and are heard. The key here is for everyone to move forward without harboring any negative emotions.
Whatever you do, never interrupt someone from speaking or react to what the other person is saying. Instead, you should focus on listening to what the other party says, and you can even rephrase what they said to ensure you understand the situation.
Do not move to other reasons for conflict without clearly understanding each and every motive. Instead, ask questions to clarify everything and understand where the problems come from.
Focus on Points of Agreement
Once everyone has had a chance to speak and have their opinions heard, identify the points of agreement. Both sides inevitably have commonalities which is the key to resolving conflicts. Focus on these common grounds rather than anything else to bring both sides together.
However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write down points of disagreement as well. What is important here is to discover precisely why the conflict occurs and what can bring both parties together.
It’s always a good idea to focus on the most significant conflict before minor ones and develop a plan to work on each conflict.
Assess the Implementation Process
Setting up future meetings to continue the conflict discussion is imperative because conflicts cannot be solved in just one meeting. You should continue the resolution and assess the implementation of the conflict solutions established with the conflicting parties.
No matter how hard it might seem, always have a positive and collaborative attitude. If you want to train your conflict resolution skills and learn more about how to deal with such situations that will help you not just at work but in your everyday life, consider contacting a conflict resolution coach.