Do people get along in your workplace? I think we've all witnessed or been a part of conflict while at work. As an employer you do your best to hire the right people and provide them with the necessary training to perform their jobs well. An interesting situation is created, in the sense that you are bringing together a group of people that might otherwise never cross paths. This can be a good thing in terms of creativity and innovation, and it can also lead to conflict as there will likely be a broad range of values and beliefs. As a leader, you can become somewhat isolated to what is actually going on between employees. Conflict may be brewing for some time before it comes to your awareness. How you respond when it comes to the surface can be significant in the impact it has on your business.
The response I see most often is that managers encourage the parties involved to resolve the situation amongst themselves. While this is the ideal solution in terms of maintaining relationships moving forward, it raises a number of questions. How can two people who are in conflict find their way out of a situation in which the emotions may be at a peak? In addition, do your employees have the right communication tools to resolve the situation? How do you uncover the truth when each person gives you a completely different account of the situation? As a manager, do you have the confidence and skills to bring them together for a facilitated conversation?
There are specific skill sets for communication that can help employees to manage conflict and ideally avoid conflict in the first place.
Listening - this is #1 on the list because it truly is a skill. In order to be an effective listener we first need to learn and understand how we listen and manage our thoughts in the process.
Curiousity - when we embrace the state of being curious, we are simply trying to discover what is going on in a given situation. We are more likely to discover the truth in this state, because true curiousity removes judgement and assumptions.
Acknowledgement - this is all about learning to say Yes in communication. Saying yes acknowledges what the other person is sharing and allows them to feel heard.
Giving and receiving feedback - far to often we think we are giving clear feedback yet we are simply communicating our emotions. Clear feedback allows each person to understand what is needed for the other person.
Communication Model - a clear model for communication can help us understand each persons role and the impact we have when people are in different states.
Culture - When a culture supports and embraces the need for open & honest communication it creates a space for safety.
Owning Your Voice leads fun & experiential workshops in which participants are given a clear model for communication and specific tools and skills which are practiced in a safe learning environment. These skills can then be applied in the workplace.
The response I see most often is that managers encourage the parties involved to resolve the situation amongst themselves. While this is the ideal solution in terms of maintaining relationships moving forward, it raises a number of questions. How can two people who are in conflict find their way out of a situation in which the emotions may be at a peak? In addition, do your employees have the right communication tools to resolve the situation? How do you uncover the truth when each person gives you a completely different account of the situation? As a manager, do you have the confidence and skills to bring them together for a facilitated conversation?
There are specific skill sets for communication that can help employees to manage conflict and ideally avoid conflict in the first place.
Listening - this is #1 on the list because it truly is a skill. In order to be an effective listener we first need to learn and understand how we listen and manage our thoughts in the process.
Curiousity - when we embrace the state of being curious, we are simply trying to discover what is going on in a given situation. We are more likely to discover the truth in this state, because true curiousity removes judgement and assumptions.
Acknowledgement - this is all about learning to say Yes in communication. Saying yes acknowledges what the other person is sharing and allows them to feel heard.
Giving and receiving feedback - far to often we think we are giving clear feedback yet we are simply communicating our emotions. Clear feedback allows each person to understand what is needed for the other person.
Communication Model - a clear model for communication can help us understand each persons role and the impact we have when people are in different states.
Culture - When a culture supports and embraces the need for open & honest communication it creates a space for safety.
Owning Your Voice leads fun & experiential workshops in which participants are given a clear model for communication and specific tools and skills which are practiced in a safe learning environment. These skills can then be applied in the workplace.
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