Navigating Workplace Challenges: A Guide to Effective Leadership in Times of Conflict

"The better able team members are to engage, speak, listen, hear, interpret, and respond constructively, the more likely their teams are to leverage conflict rather than be levelled by it." - Craig E. Runde and Flanagan Tim

How to Resolve Conflict in the Workplace

As a manager, you cannot be responsible for solving every individual's problems.

Amidst the vast amount of information and interactions, conflicts will inevitably arise due to differences in opinions, personal issues, or misunderstandings. However, engaging in these conflicts does not assist others in resolving them, nor does attempting to solve everything independently.

What actions can leaders take to handle workplace conflict effectively? How can they contribute to improving the situation and resolving disputes? 

While managing conflict can be challenging for many managers, it's feasible to turn disagreements and tension into beneficial results.

3 Behaviours for Reducing Conflicts

1. Practice reflective thinking. This involves taking a moment to reflect on a situation before reacting emotionally. By pausing to consider the issue from different perspectives, individuals can respond more thoughtfully and rationally, leading to better conflict resolution outcomes

2. Delay responding. Instead of reacting impulsively, delaying responding immediately to a conflict is beneficial. This delay allows individuals to gather their thoughts, emotions, and facts, enabling them to respond in a more composed and constructive manner, which can help de-escalate conflicts

3. Commit to “adapting behaviour.” This behaviour involves a willingness to adapt one's behaviour in response to conflict situations. By being open to changing one's approach, communication style, or actions, individuals can foster a more collaborative environment and find mutually beneficial solutions to conflicts

"There are two ways of meeting difficulties: You alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself meeting them." - Phyllis Bottome

Take These 6 Steps to Resolve Conflict

1. Set the stage.

Begin by fostering an environment of transparency, constructive feedback, and problem-solving. Your colleagues need to know that you focus on moving forward rather than dwelling on past issues and have a positive outlook on finding resolutions. Follow these guidelines to set the stage for problem-solving:

1. Express your sincere desire to understand.

2. If you’re involved in the conflict, admit responsibility for your contribution and ask how to make amends.

3. Emphasise that you want to work together to achieve a mutually satisfactory solution.

2. Describe the conflict.

Present your viewpoint on the conflict clearly and objectively, addressing the specifics honestly. Engage in direct communication with the other party, choosing your words thoughtfully to maintain professionalism and courtesy. Express your emotions while articulating the reasons behind them. Reflect on how you wish to be perceived once the conflict is resolved.

Although discussing emotions at work might make some individuals uneasy, expressing emotions openly and appropriately is preferable rather than allow them to build up and potentially overflow. To appropriately address emotions:

• Express information in a way that casts no blame.

• Be sure that expressing emotions is helpful.

• Don’t let your hot buttons interfere with the process.

• Be specific. Instead of “I feel bad,” say, “I am frustrated because … ”

• Use the “I” word instead of “You,” as in: “I am disappointed that the conflict came to this point.” Not: “You are to blame for this mess.”

3. Gain perspective.

It's beneficial to empathise with your colleagues' thoughts and emotions. Avoid assuming that you have all the information. What inquiries will you pose to grasp others' viewpoints and validate your assumptions? During their responses, employ active listening techniques and strive to comprehend their perspectives. When you grasp their viewpoint, acknowledge it through rephrasing or summarising and seek clarification through examples when needed.

It's advantageous to consider your coworkers' perspectives and emotions. Avoid presuming a complete understanding of the situation. What inquiries will you raise to understand their viewpoints and to validate or invalidate your assumptions? While they respond, actively listen and try to grasp their standpoint. When you comprehend their stance, acknowledge it by rephrasing or summarising, and seek elucidation through examples when necessary.

4. Seek agreement.

Identify potential points of mutual agreement and areas of disagreement. This is the first step in arriving at a solution.

5. Identify solutions.

Afterwards, brainstorm potential solutions that advance all parties' interests, objectives, and agendas. Refrain from immediately assessing these solutions; your primary focus should be generating fresh ideas. During discussions, present differing viewpoints as questions, such as, "Could an alternative solution be X?" Above all, demonstrate a readiness to compromise. Remember that you're seeking a fair resolution, not simply aiming for a win.

6. Develop an action plan.

Create a detailed plan outlining specific steps that both parties are committed to taking to implement the solution. Show gratitude for the individual's contributions during the problem-solving discussion. Express your readiness to reconvene to monitor progress.

Remember that even though you can initiate a constructive conversation as a leader, the effort always involves dialogue and discussion among the people involved. Adopt a positive attitude toward the conflict, find the best in people and in the situation, and maintain your sense of humour. 

Absorbing these lessons will make you a leader who can calm conflict.

If you want to build a program on resolving conflicts for your leaders, send me Utkarsh Narang a DM and I look forward to the conversation.