You often hear tips on how to land a job and make a good impression, but once you finally get that coveted position, there are still some potential troubles along the way. One of them is workplace conflicts, which are nearly inevitable in today’s working environment. Find out how to handle conflicts at work the right way!
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1. Acknowledge the conflict
One of the most damaging ways to react to a workplace dispute is pretending like nothing is wrong. Over time, negative emotions will accumulate and then make you burst at the worst possible moment. That is why the number one step in reacting to a workplace conflict is acknowledging that there is a misunderstanding and that it needs to be addressed as soon as possible by both parties.
Read more: How To Argue Like An Adult: Your 6 Proven Tips To Follow
2. Talk one-on-one
At the early stages of a corporate dispute, it’s best to sort things out directly with your co-worker. Arrange a meeting for just the two of you. Pick out the time that works for you and your colleague, and make sure you will be alone in the room or section of your workplace. Only when the individual talk with the co-worker doesn’t bring you the desired result, you can report the incident to the HR and let them handle it.
3. Be specific and impartial
When describing the events that led to the conflict, make sure to be very specific. Bring out the exact time when the incident occurred and ask your co-worker to acknowledge that it really happened. Moreover, it’s important not to call your opponent any names or point out their personal issues. Focus only on what they did, not who they are as a person.
4. Get ready to listen
Once you have presented your side of the argument, it is time for the other person at the heart of the conflict to speak. If they have respectfully listened to everything you had to say, it is now your job to let them do the same. Listen for as long as they want to talk and don’t try to interrupt their speech. If it’s absolutely necessary, you can make notes and get back to them once the other person finishes speaking.
When the other person ends their speech, make sure to indicate your understanding of their concerns. To do it, ask a few follow-up questions based on their speech or simply rephrase it to know for sure that you understood everything right.
Read more: 10 Common Interview Questions And How To Answer Them
5. Find your agreements and disagreements
The only way to resolve a conflict at work is to find the points you agree and disagree upon. The most convenient way to do it is by using a blackboard or a presentation board, but you can also do it on a piece of paper. When you agree on something, it will make calm both of you down and demonstrate that the conflict is manageable.
If there are some things you can’t agree on, point out those things and write them down. Arrange the disagreements in the order of importance, with the most important one being on the top. Develop a plan for resolving each of those points.
6. Follow your plan
Once you have a plan for handling the workplace conflict, all that is left to do is stick to it and work it out point after point. At this stage, it’s essential to stay focused on the ultimate goal, which is to eliminate the conflict and restore a good working relationship.
As your plan goes forward, you may need to schedule more meetings to discuss the progress of the conflict resolution. Here you need to be positive and praise your co-worker if he or she acts according to the plan and helps resolve the disagreement. Ultimately, your relationship will go back to normal and your plan will end in success.
Read more: 11 In-Demand Work Skills Of 2019
How to deal with workplace conflicts – Develop your personality and business skills.
How to deal with workplace conflicts – Develop your personality and business skills. Blog: http://www.learnex.in/how-to-deal-with-workplace-conflicts Skillopedia video to learn about dealing with office conflicts. Office conflicts – Makes you nervous, irritated and frustrated! So how do you manage office conflicts. Work place is naturally a stressful environment and conflicts among your co – workers or bosses is inevitable.
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