Jacob Whenever there are two or more people, conflicts are bound to happen. A conflict has only two possible outcomes, a constructive outcome and a destructive outcome. If handled carefully a negative notion can be turned into a fruitful outcome. Communication, mutual respect, patience, listening to each other’s points of view with an open mind, and avoiding the need to always be right are some steps that can help you maintain a healthy work environment. A leader plays an important role in this situation. It is said that upon hiring, confidence, communication, and decision-making abilities are some of the important qualities most recruiters look for in a candidate.
If we were to resolve a conflict, we must first dig deep, go to the root cause of the conflict at hand. We have to look at the structures that lie underneath the conflict. At times, issues just emerge as a communication problem but upon further investigation, causes differ from misunderstandings about one another’s roles in their departments to personal grudges. It is unrealistic to blame one person as the sole perpetrator of a conflict. By taking 5 major steps, you can minimize the chances of conflicts in the workplace.
Step 1 is directed to all hiring managers and recruiters out there. Ask the right questions to the right people that will help you understand the dynamics and perspective of an individual underneath. Ask questions that reveal an applicant’s true self, ask questions that help you get an idea of how the candidate will be on the job, what are his intentions, how will he handle difficult situations and so on.
Step 2 is directed towards that the management team. It is your duty to eliminate bullies from the company. These are the individuals who pose a great threat to your team, as they do not have the ability to recognize the hurt they are causing other people and from my own personal experiences as a leader, these bullies find it very difficult to give up their behavior. So screen out dysfunctional individuals as they do more damage than good.
Step 3 is to make sure that all your employees are well aligned; they should be aware of what the rules, principles, and goals of the company are, who’s responsible for what decisions, who must report to whom, and so on. All these points must be crystal clear from the get-go.
Step 4 states that alliances must be formed at all levels of your team to help implement change. Form bridges between departments to eliminate any miscommunication between executives. Executives must be on the same page and pass new rules down to their respective teams, for everyone to be in sync and keep the company banded together.
Step 5 is to teach your employees new habits and methods that help them solve internal issues as well as deal with strong feelings and stressful thinking that triggers conflicts. It is no doubt that conflicts occur from stress, therefore, reducing stress at the workplace eventually promotes a harmonious workplace.
Let there be transparency, communications, and justice in the organization, that encourages one to respect and listen to each other patiently without holding any grudges.
