Office tiffs will arise and conflict can escalate, causing unhealthy tension because of these common mistakes!
1. Ignoring conflict. Incorrect! While you want to choose your battles, inaction leads to conflict festering. It can also result in tense relationships and sabotage!
2. Getting it all out. Wrong! Isolate the issue. What’s causing the problem?
It may be a specific individual or a touchy subject that keeps being brought up. By figuring out what is causing the issues, it can be handled in the most appropriate manner. Remember, often hurt feelings linger long after the conflict has occurred.
3. Staying focused on just your issue. No! Your goal is not to win but to resolve the conflict. Understand others’ interests. Take a step back and think about what others are feeling and how what you say could affect them.
4. Interrupting. Wrong again! Shutting down or giving your rebuttal before hearing all that the other person has to say is ineffective. Let them talk it out. Often, they will have a solution you both can live with.
5. Having one perfect solution. Nope! Brainstorm solutions. As an office, or
those having issues, determine what you can do to resolve the problem and prevent it from reoccurring.
6. Not revisiting the conflict. NO!! Implement and evaluate the solution.
Set a time to review what happened. What worked and what needs adjusting.