Conflicts in the Workplace - How to Resolve or Avoid Them

Clear Communication Can Avoid Conflicts in the Workplace- Are a Good Communicator?

Dealing with conflicts is a fact of life, both personally and professionally. How you react to those conflicts has a huge impact on you career, family life, personal relationships, stress level and ultimately your health. Understanding the common causes of conflicts and recognizing the signs early are critical to a successful and positive outcome for all parties; thereby avoiding the conflict altogether or at least minimizing its impact. Here you will learn the signs of conflicts which are the indicators, beginnings of conflicts; when conflict is destructive and when it can be constructive (and yes it is possible to have a positive and constructive outcome in a conflicting situation).

Get to the root of it! The first step is to determine what the cause of the conflict is. There is a wide variety of issues that can lead to a conflicting and tension filled environment; such as personality differences, different work styles; and lack of communication skills. Let’s say you are a manager of a department “team” where you oversee several staff members who are a diversified group in many aspects, from work style to education level and very different personalities. As the manager, and someone who the teams looks to for leadership and direction, it is your job to learn to recognize the signs of potential conflicts and find solutions that offer a positive outcome for the entire team.
Beginnings of conflicts:

• Poor communication- this is one of the most common causes of conflicts.

• Power seeking individuals- we have all known someone in life who seeks power for themselves without concern for the effect of the team or their co-workers.

• Weak leadership- having weak or ineffectual leadership can lead to dissention among the ranks. All teams need a effective team leader to be productive and successful.

• Change in leadership- sometimes change can be a hard pill to swallow; however through open communication and clear goals and objectives change can be a positive thing to happen.

Conflict indicators & their effects:

• Body language- our body language can speak volumes without any verbal contact. Be aware of defensive and aggressive body language.

• Disagreements in any form, for any reason.

• Withholding bad news- it will only get harder to break the news, get it over with and out in the open so everyone can move past the issue.

• Surprises- surprises can be a good thing if you are the kind of person who likes them. However, in the workplace it can be detrimental, try to avoid surprises by keeping everyone informed of any changes, especially ones that have a direct impact on them. Keep open communication with all team members on all matters large or small.

• Voicing disagreements publicly or through the media- Disagreements of any nature should always be dealt with between the parties affected or involved, without outside interference.

• Differences in personal values- We have all our own sets of values, and it is human nature to feel as our values and beliefs are best. In the workplace it is best to respect everyone’s personal values whether or not you agree with them. It is okay to agree to disagree, just do not let it detract from team productivity and attitudes.

• Lack of respect- Adhere to the old adage ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ Everyone at every level deserves respect, no matter what a person’s social status, education level, or career stage should be respected as an individual in their own right.

• Lack of clearly set goals- We all need goals, something to reach for. Team goals should be discussed openly; setting goals as a team as well as developing a plan of action on how to achieve those goals. Promoting your staff’s creativity will only produce positive results. By nature people are more supportive of what they have a hand in creating. Maintain consistent team discussion on the progress of the team’s goals.

Negative of Destructive Results from Conflicts:

• Undermines team morale (as well as individuals);

• Increases differences and can lead to irresponsible behavior;

• Takes attention away from the team’s goals and other important activities;

• Decreases productivity.

How can you avoid and/or resolve conflicts? Following are tips to avoid, or at the very least, minimize conflicts in your working environment.

• Communicating, Are We On The Same Page?- When communicating to your team it is important to be clear in your message, be specific in your expectations for the team as a group, as well as individuals. Think carefully about the message you want to convey and the best possible way to get your message across so that you avoid any possible misinterpretations, miscommunications or misunderstandings. Always allow for a Q & A session at the end of your meeting. Each team member should walk away from your meeting with a clear sense of their duties and what is expected of them. (For more detailed tips on improving your communications skills check out The Great Communicator- Do You Communicate Effectively?)

• Open Door Policy- As a manager you should let your staff members know that you have an open-door policy, make sure you are approachable and understanding to your employee’s concerns. Treat everyone with respect, and always offer to spend time with anyone who may need ‘face time’, such as time with you as their supervisor where they can feel comfortable getting things off their chest so to speak. This time can be a great stress relieve and could possibly be a key factor in avoiding conflicts.

• Management Style- Are you a reactive manager or predictive manager? The difference between a reactive and predictive manager is the reactive manager solves problems as they occur; and a predictive manager tries to prevent problems or conflicts from arising in the first place. (To learn more about these management characteristics check out Management Styles - What Type of Manager Are You?)

• Regular Team Meetings- As a manager it is your job to train, guide and mentor your staff members. A manager should make it a priority to have regular team meetings where you discuss any possible issues or concerns from staff. Review team goals and progress towards those goals. Discuss any roadblocks or barriers that arise, request input from staff members for suggestions on what they feel they need to break down the barriers and remain productive. It is the manager’s responsibility to remove barriers; however a smart manager seeks input from staff, those who are involved in the ‘hands-on detailed functions’ on what they see as barriers. Remember that is okay, and even healthy, to have varying viewpoints, learning to compromise is the key to a positive outcome for all.

• Address any conflicts head on- Do not let conflicts fester into something out of control. Allow all people involved in any conflict or dispute to explain and clarify their opinions on the issue at hand. Identify the ideal outcome for all involved; work together to determine what can be done to achieve the goals of the team as a whole. Determine if the end result is worth the time and energy that will be expended, and is it worth everyone’s time.

• Set Goals- In a team environment where it takes multiple team members to be successful and reach their goals, then it makes sense to involve the whole team when setting the goals. (For more on goal setting see the following article- How to Set Your Team Up For Success).

• Discourage gossip- Office gossip is a surefire way to ignite hostilities and conflicts among employees. Discourage your team from getting on the gossip treadmill; encourage them to come to you if they need to talk, get anything off their chest that may be bothering them.

• Provide training- Providing training to employees not only benefits the employees, but also the team and company as well. It has been proven that a well trained staff (and well informed) is a much happier and productive team. Work with your HR Department to establish appropriate training programs for all staff members. Besides the essential job skill training, it would be helpful to provide training in areas such as conflict resolution, and other empowering type training. Teach them how to behave the way you expect them to behave. Providing training and coaching your team in learning and using good communication skills will empower your team members and will produce a more harmonious and productive environment.

• Praise achievements- Recognizing and giving praise for achievements, no matter how large or small, of staff members, shows that you notice their efforts, and that you appreciate them. Employees who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to keep pushing themselves to improve.

Staff is a company’s largest investment and can be their largest asset. Invest the time and money on proper and effective training for your staff members at all levels. Empower them to give the job their very best. It will be the best investment you ever make!

Effective Tips For The New Manager

Work smarter not harder! How many of you have heard this phrase? Working smarter not harder is a great thing if you have practical and effective ways to make the most of your time and the time of those under your supervision. The first thing all managers of any level should do is to objectively examine their managerial skills, take note of how you actually spend your time each day; how much time do you spend of a project; and can you do something differently to accomplish your goals in less time without sacrificing quality?

How your relationship with your staff members and other co-workers is; do you have a positive relationship with open communication? If not, you should identify the negative aspects of your working relationships; how that affects your performance and the performance of your team members. Make a list of key areas where you feel improvement is needed to overcome the negativity and create a positive and productive environment within your department. As in just about any relationship, communication is a key factor in your success as a manager. Successful managers have learned (and always strive to improve their communication and management skills) the art of effective communicating with people at all levels in and outside of the workplace. Here are some practical tips that you can implement immediately and be own your way to becoming a successful, effective and in-demand manager. Be careful though, your new positive attitude and outlook is likely to be noticed and may even be contagious. You may even become an inspiration to other managers to be a positive role model.

1. Learn the layout. Learn the organizational structure of your corporation as well as other corporates in your industry. Get familiar with the managerial culture of your organization, while you may have been with a particular company for many years, if you now find yourself in a management position your role and expectations of you are going to be different. It is your position as a manager to learn what is expected of you and stay on top of best practices in your particular field.

2. Stay grounded. Keep your feet on the ground; don’t get too lofty in your attitude. A promotion to management does not mean you are now the supreme know-it-all; don’t let your new-found power go to your head. Remember that you were “one of the little people” once and be considerate of how you treat others. Everyone at every level deserves respect; you will get much more in return from those around you if you have a considerate and respectful attitude. Remember your basic manners you were taught as a child, such as saying “Please” or “Thank you”, showing your appreciation when a job is well done can go a long way.


3. Communication. Get to know your team, make an effort to spend individual time with your staff, as well as a team as a whole; listen to their concerns, any ideas of suggestions they may have for improvement. Learn each member’s strengths and weaknesses; develop training plans for each member to strengthen weak areas and promote professional and personal growth. Developing good communication skills will make your job easier, as well as your team members. Make your expectations clear from the beginning, work together with your team to establish realistic and obtainable goals as individuals and as a team. Establish the ground rules of communication; assure your team that you have an open door policy. Set a regular time to meet as a team to review projects; team goals, encourage discussion among the team on how to improve upon any weaknesses.

Communication between you and your supervisor is important as well. If you are a new manager you probably have a new supervisor, or you may have joined a new company where you have to get to know everyone and how things work in this new environment. It is important that you take the initiative to get to know your supervisor, what their expectations are of you; what their “hot buttons” are; learn their style of management, and always ask questions if there is any uncertainty.


4. Be a good role model. Being a manager is a lot like being a parent, you are a role model for those you are responsible for. Remember that your staff members are watching your every move. When you establish your expectations for staff in attendance, performance and creativeness, you should remember that actions speak louder than words; you should be the example of what you expect from your staff. You can not expect staff members to arrive to work in a timely manner if you are consistently late yourself. If you expect the best from your staff, show them that you give your best at all times.


5. Learn how to delegate. Delegating is sometimes one of the most difficult skills to master (especially if you are a person who prefers to be “in control”), however delegating to others will be beneficial to you as a manger, your staff and department as a whole. Before you begin delegating, it is important to learn each of your team member’s strengths and weaknesses; you do not want to make the mistake of giving them a job that is too far above their head, therefore setting them up for failure. On the other hand you do not want to give someone with above-average administrative skills and entry level task that may be better suited for another team member. Make sure you are utilizing all members’ skills to get the most benefit for all. As a manager you will be expected to use your strategic and critical-thinking skills; delegating minimal tasks to others will enable you more time to analyze your department’s functions and focus on higher level projects.


6. Give credit and praise. Take the time to express to your staff that you notice when they are really giving 110% to their tasks. People learn and grow at different paces, so do not measure or compare your staff with each other. Communicate clearly that you always expect them to give 100% of their time and attention to the job at hand; realizing when they are giving it their all should be related to staff often. As a manager you are their inspiration or “wind beneath their wings” so to speak.


7. Avoid burnout. One thing new managers fall prey to is overworking themselves (and sometimes others) in order to learn as much as possible and make a good impression on their supervisors to show that they are capable of filling the manager role. Realize when you and your staff members are at your best each day, when you are most productive, if by mid-afternoon you know that you are becoming tired and therefore not able to give 100% of yourself, you should allow yourself (and staff) to take a short break. Do whatever you need to get focused again, maybe take a walk outside or take a brief “power-nap”. Being able to realize your weaknesses as well as strengths will enable you tackle the most challenging projects at best time so that you will be at your peak of productivity. Spend the last hour or so of the day getting ready to hit the ground running the next day.

8. Follow-up and follow-through. Being consistent in your follow-up or follow-through on projects and tasks with your team members helps keep everyone on track, allows time for questions or suggestions. Follow-up and follow-through works both up the ladder as well as down. As a manager you should make it your practice to keep a “to do” list, this will keep you on track and enable you to keep your supervisor informed on the status of projects assigned to you. This shows you are on top of your game, and that you will not let anything “slip through the cracks.”

9. Preparation. Preparation is key to success at any level, in any industry, in any trade for everyone. Keep a team chart, which is accessible to all team members; list all projects, who they are assigned to, what is the expected outcome; due dates and status section. This allows everyone to be on the same page and work more effectively as a team. Make it a habit at the start of each day to review your team’s activities, make sure all team members are track; then at the end of each day review the status of tasks assigned, make note of what was completed and what remains outstanding, what needs your attention. Finally, always look ahead for the next few days to make sure you know what is coming your way and what is expected of you and your team.

As a manger you should know what your resources are, where to look for answers, and give appropriate resources to all team members so that they are fully equipped with the tools needed to successfully complete projects in a timely manner.

10. Managing Up. This may be a new concept to some, especially new managers. However, a skilled manager knows how and when to manage up, another words manage their boss. It is important for managers at all levels to understand that they, as well as their supervisors, have things to accomplish in order to everyone’s job to be completed successfully. Keep your supervisor up-to-date on all projects, and any unexpected obstacles you face. Your supervisor is your primary resource to help in getting over or around anything that stands in the way of your ultimate goal.