It is a fact of life that we have to deal with conflict of every different type, none more so in the workplace. There are many different situations that can arise where conflict is very likely to occur, whether it is differences in working methods, or the conflict between “youth” and more experienced workers, it can result in a negative outcome, and this is where you, as a business leader, comes into play.
Overcoming these challenges requires a lot of determination, but it is your responsibility to create an environment where people can work effectively and get along. It comes down to creating a positive culture for work to be done to target and to a high quality.
There are many cases where resolving conflict can make all the difference between a positive outcome and a negative one. In resolving conflict successfully on many levels you can solve the underlying reasons for the conflict in the first place, as well as increasing certain traits in yourself, as well as your staff, such as increased understanding.
So, therefore, the discussion that is needed to resolve the conflict between, for example, two opposing staff members, will give them both an insight into how they are affecting the other person’s work, and how they can achieve their own goals without resorting to undermining others.
The second trait is improved self-knowledge. So, by understanding where your goals are as an individual and understanding what is most important to you in this environment, as well as working to improve your focus and skills, this improves the overall effectiveness of that individual staff member as a cog in the wheel of the organization.
The final trait is increased group cohesion. If a conflict is resolved properly, the positive by-product of that is the team members can develop a stronger working bond, as well as mutual respect and the ability to work together better.
By developing a bond between the team makes for a more productive working environment. Not only does this improve your business in many ways, this helps gel the team together in preparation for potential emergencies and threats in the organization.
It’s like the old adage of the ship and its shipmates, everybody has a role to fulfill, and without one essential component, the whole thing can collapse. By preventing your business sailing into uncharted waters, you need to reinforce the notion of reliability and supporting each other.
This stems from you as the leader, and this can include integrating emergency policies, technology such as an emergency communication system, or by merely having an open door policy with your staff members.
Workplace conflict can be in many different forms, whether it is interpersonal, structural, too much reliance on different departments, or dissatisfaction from an individual staff member, these can all affect a business, but by encouraging healthy communication, you can learn to break down these barriers.
Active listening, collaborative efforts between the affected parties, giving expectations for their future behaviours, or by implementing personal goals are methods that every business leader will need to understand in order to sail their business on rough seas.