Conflict happens, but business owners must resolve it swiftly to prevent it from impacting operations, lowering employee productivity, or driving employees or clients away. Workplace issues cost money.
On top of all the negatives previously listed, 88% of workers believe that these very issues lower staff morale.
Proactively taking steps to resolve conflicts and manage them going forward will strengthen your business and help it thrive. But how can you do so?
Below are four keys to helping you achieve this goal.
1. Be Honest (Respectfully)
Honesty is the best policy,” but first, you need to be honest with yourself. Cheap peace puts a bandaid on an issue, but it will come back in the future. One mantra that I find to be true is: Always speak the truth in the spirit of love and respect.
You can speak the truth, but it’s not just what you say; it’s how you say it, too.
Focus on your:
- Body language
- Facial expressions
- Tonality
Words can be said in a way that de-motivates or energizes people, and the same goes for your body language.
As a leader, you want to avoid the extremes of being an “exploder” who yells at others or a “clammer-upper,” who avoids direct conflict but is passive aggressive.
Being honest in the right way takes a lot of self-control. If you tell an employee, “No, you’re wrong” in a loud voice and harsh tone, this language will have a negative impact on them.
Instead, consider asking questions such as “Help me understand why you said/did that?” and then “The next time you face a similar situation, what do you think would be a better way to respond?” If they’re not on the right track, then you can say something like, “When issues like this arise, I have found it’s better to approach them like this…”
Certainly, there are situations where you have to take a harder line. Nevertheless, asking questions gives you insight into their motivations and also gets them into a conversation. If they feel heard and valued, they’re more likely to be open to what you have to say.
Conflicts are a learning experience for everyone, but you can be honest and direct without talking down to a person or adding to the issue.
Be an honest truth-teller and you’ll be well on your way to finding ways to resolve conflicts swiftly and permanently. The last thing you want to do is quash issues temporarily and allow them to spur back up in the future.
2. Keep Current (Don’t Let Conflict Linger)
Lingering conflicts sound easy enough to resolve, and they can be if you stay on top of things. Owners and managers must keep current on situations. What often happens is that things get swept under the rug.
No one wants to deal with them, so they fester and grow.
Eventually, the conflict that is swept under the rug will grow and it will lead to bitterness and resentment. If your employees, clients, or stakeholders resent you or the company as a whole, it’s a downward spiral that’s hard to stop.
Unresolved conflicts lead to the distortion of future interactions. Stories will replay in the person’s mind. Even if they’re not true, it’s common that a story will grow out of control inside the person’s mind. Any future interactions will be a reflection of the false stories, which can cause serious resentment.
Leaders who understand this proactively defuse conflicts.
Where should you begin? Start with analyzing the root cause of the problems people face. Unhealthy behaviors from a single person will drag down entire teams.
Address the issues quickly but appropriately. Be careful about calling someone out in front of everyone because it may be perceived as an attack and cause irreparable damage.
3. Attack Problems, Not People
One of the most important aspects of successful conflict management is to focus on the problem – not the person. This can be a challenging skill to master.
After all, it’s human nature to focus on the person rather than the issue. As a result, we start attributing things to this person that often are not completely accurate.
Rather than engaging in character assassination, keep the focus on the issue at hand. Not only will you find it easier to come to a resolution, but you’ll also help build a healthy work culture that doesn’t point fingers.
How do you stay focused on the problem? Ask yourself:
- What is this conflict really about?
- What does the issue appear to be at the surface level?
- Are there underlying wants, needs, or concerns that are not being addressed?
Taking a step back and seeing things from the other person’s perspective can also help you understand the real problem at hand and how to approach discussions surrounding the conflict.
If you’re not directly involved in the conflict, it’s your job to ensure that everyone involved stays focused on the problem, not the other person.
For example, if you’re facing an internal conflict, gather key stakeholders together and hold a problem-solving session – not a blaming session. Acknowledge mistakes made, but turn them into lessons learned, and focus your energy on fixing the issue.
Keeping the focus on the problem and not the person will help ensure that conflicts are resolved more effectively and efficiently. But it can also help prevent further erosion of relationships among team members and stakeholders.
4. Act – Don’t React
When conflicts arise, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and allow your emotions to get the best of you.
However, it’s important to take a step back and remember that we are always responsible for our own actions. You cannot control the actions of others, but you can control how you respond to a situation.
If someone is upset, give them space to express their feelings appropriately. Acknowledge their feelings and allow them to be heard.
Just make sure that you don’t respond in the same way. Stay calm and acknowledge what they’re feeling.
Don’t be afraid to take a pause and gather your thoughts so that you can respond in a more thoughtful way.
Taking this approach can help de-escalate the situation and shift the focus to finding a resolution.
Final Thoughts
Conflicts are bound to arise when you run a business, but it’s how you respond to them that matters. Be honest (respectfully), keep current, attack the problem (not the person), and act, don’t react.
By taking this approach, you can better manage and resolve conflicts to create a healthy and positive work culture.
And the great news is that these 4 principles aren’t just effective at resolving conflict, but they’re also effective at preventing conflict.
To learn more about how we can help with conflict prevention and resolution strategies or to schedule an appointment, click here.