No matter what we do in life, who we are, or where we come from, we all face conflict at one point or another, in one form or another. The way we deal with and handle conflict, though, can say a lot about us. Not only that, it can also dictate the culture of an entire organization or workplace. There is no escaping conflict in entirety, and almost everyone faces a conflict at work throughout the duration of their career. While colleagues and coworkers may not be our chosen friends, we do have to interact and engage with them on a regular basis. As such, it can be extremely beneficial to find positive ways to interact with the professionals you see and work with regularly. This is also true with clients who get on your nerves and under your skin. You may not have to deal with them daily, but there’s a good chance you have to interact with them on a weekly schedule. However, even if someone gets on your nerves or under your skin, as a professional, it’s your obligation to treat them with dignity and respect at all times.
Being able to identify, address, and handle workplace conflict in a productive and healthy way is crucial to developing a work culture that prioritizes and emphasizes respect and professionalism, even in the context of a disagreement.
“Here’s the thing—leadership and conflict go hand-in-hand. Leadership is a full-contact sport, and if you cannot or will not address conflict in a healthy, productive fashion, you should not be in a leadership role.”
– Mike Myatt, Chairman, N2Growth –
Understanding the Nature of the Conflict
When addressing a workplace conflict it is of the utmost importance to understand the true nature of the conflict before choosing a path of discourse to take. Some workplace conflicts are much more severe and serious in nature than others. For example, a report of sexual assault is an extremely serious conflict that would likely involve a variety of third parties, and additional extensive action. On the flip side of this, a workplace dispute in which someone felt slightly disrespected or spoken down to, while still worth addressing, is not by any means criminal.
This should demonstrate why it is so important to establish an understanding of the situation before approaching any sort of conflict-resolution. You don’t want to overreact or underreact to the matter at hand, as this could essentially just escalate the situation, or come off as completely dismissive and unconcerned.
“Knowing the context of the conflict will help you make an informed decision on how to handle the situation. Sometimes the little conflicts just work themselves out. Other times, more serious action and intervention is required.”
– Ryan Rottman, Co-Founder and CEO, OSDB –
Once you’ve gathered an understanding of the conflict and get both sides of the story, you can start to decide which of the popular conflict resolution tactics is right for the situation. Being able to gauge an appropriate response can take a little bit of finesse, but this is something that develops with time.
“Hearing both sides of the story is inevitable, so you might as well start there. This will also help you get an idea of how each person is feeling towards the situation, which can also help determine how to move forward.”
– Karim Hachem, VP of eCommerce, La Blanca –
Open and Honest Discussions
For workplace conflicts that aren’t as severe an open and honest discussion between the two feuding parties can sometimes be enough to get things back on track and bury the hatchet. Sometimes, offering a space in which both people can fully express themselves and why they’re feeling how they feel about the situation is really all that’s needed. Hiring a staff of high-quality professionals who exhibit strong communication habits is a really good way to build a culture in which smaller conflicts can be self-resolved amongst individuals.
“You don’t always need HR, and a manager, and all the paperwork of an official dispute. It has its value but isn’t always necessary; if the conflict is minor enough, let the parties involved hash it out and move on. Not every workplace conflict is an all-hands-on-deck situation.”
– Jae Pak, Founder, Jae Pak MD Medical –
There is a lot of power in fostering and encouraging a workplace culture that prioritizes honest communication, even outside of the realm of conflict-resolution. When team members feel more comfortable communicating with one another and speaking up when they have ideas, brainstorming tactics are more successful, continual improvement happens more regularly, and employees report a higher sense of engagement overall.
“You constantly hear about the importance of being open and honest with your team, especially in leadership and management practices today. It really does seem to facilitate a better rapport amongst both team members and leadership.”
– Dan Potter, Head of Digital, CRAFTD London –
Compromising
Every once in a while, a workplace conflict isn’t so much about contrasting personalities as it is the work itself. In this case, perhaps a conflict can be resolved through some sort of compromise between the individuals involved. This is especially the case if it happens to deal with work-delegation, specific responsibilities, or other tasks that are more team-oriented and benefit the whole organization.
“Learning how to compromise is essential in managing a team, especially in the digital age wherein everyone is working remotely and you could have a team composed of people all over the nation, or even the world.”
– Juan Pablo Cappello, Co-Founder and CEO, Nue Life –
The art of compromising is an important one to hone if you’re going to be a leader or manager. You certainly aren’t going to get your way every single time, but if you can come up with an equitable compromise, you’ll better be able to reach your goals, while also facilitating the goals of your team members.
“It isn’t always easy to relinquish control, especially when you’re in a leadership or management position, but knowing when and how to compromise is much more valuable than never being able to back down from a fight.”
– Rachel Blank, Founder and CEO, Allara Health –
Using a Mediator
For more serious workplace conflicts, the two parties may not be able to face one another without restarting the issue. In an instance of this degree you’re going to want to bring in a 3rd party mediator. This could be you as the boss or leader, but could also be an HR professional. A mediator can help take some of the tension out of the room and guide a more productive conversation from start to finish.
“If you need to bring in a mediator from HR on a few occasions, do it; they are there to provide guide rails to the conversation. People are a little less likely to act out in emotional compulsion in the presence of a third party who wasn’t involved in the initial situation.”
–Melanie Bedwell, E-commerce Manager, OLIPOP –
Mediators can be extremely beneficial in helping two people come to an equitable conflict resolution that leaves everyone better off than they were before. The presence of a mediator can also just deescalate a tense situation and help everyone speak more calmly.
“Being a mediator can be a little stressful at times, but it can truly take some of the tension out of the room. It also allows people to speak more freely without fear of being interrupted, made fun of, or further disrespected in any way.”
– Cody Candee, Founder and CEO, Bounce –
Ending or Changing the Relationship
In the most severe cases of workplace conflict, there could need to be an end or change to the personnel involved. In criminal cases that involve actual harassment or abuse of any nature should be reported to the appropriate authorities and dealt with accordingly. Additionally, a victim in this context should never have to face retaliations from their employer for bringing that type of unacceptable behavior to light.
“Creating a safe workspace is the responsibility of the employer, business owner, or entrepreneur. It’s also the responsibility of every single employee who signs a contract to work for that brand. If someone is creating an unsafe workspace in your organization, you don’t have much of a choice— they need to go.”
– Lindsay Malu Kido, CEO and Founder, Empower Pleasure –
Even if it’s not an internal conflict that needs resolving, your organization and employee could benefit from a changing of relationship. This could be in the context of a poor client interaction. Rather than creating a major fuss, simply switch the point of contact for that client, and move on. Sometimes, it really can be that easy.
“If there’s an easy and quick solution that leaves everyone feeling good at the end of the day, take it. There’s no need to overcomplicate something that can be easily addressed.”
– Chris Gadek, Head of Growth, AdQuick –
A few Last Words
Conflict resolution is an important part of leading and running an organization at any level. Having a few conflict-resolution strategies in your back pocket will help you prepare for the inevitable. Don’t forget, every conflict is unique, and so should be your approach to resolution. “All forms of conflict resolution strategy have their advantages and disadvantages, so before approaching the situation, determine what strategy will work best for you, the issue, and the parties involved. Ultimately, you want your strategy to end the disagreement and produce results, results that can help get your company’s organization and productivity back on track.”
– Andrew Jensen, Business Growth and Marketing Consultant –