It’s important to avoid conflict in the workplace. Here are five tips to keep you out of trouble at work and on the road to success.
Conflict is natural. People often have different views about things. It’s healthy for everyone involved to engage in some healthy conflict. But when conflict becomes disruptive, it’s not healthy for anyone involved. At best, it’s unproductive. At worst, it creates a toxic atmosphere. It can make people unhappy, demotivate them, and ultimately lead to burnout.
What’s the best way to avoid conflict in the workplace? It depends on the type of conflict. There is no “one size fits all” answer to this question. And there’s no one right way to resolve conflicts.
When you want to create a harmonious work environment, look out for these five ways to avoid conflict at work:
1. Rewind the situation
Let’s imagine this scenario. You and your colleagues are working on a project together, dividing the tasks for everyone. Someone on the team stops responding to messages. You don’t know if he or she will get everything done in time, which means that someone else has to take over their part of the work and that someone is you. In an irritated state, you complain to a colleague. The next day, the missing person turns up unexpectedly and already knows everything you have said about them. A tense conversation is inevitable.
Now let’s think about why this happened. Maybe it’s because you shared your emotions with someone with whom you don’t have an established relationship of trust.
In a situation like this, don’t try to understand why a colleague told you what you said. It is better to concentrate on your own actions so that you don’t repeat them in the future.
2. Get back to the facts
Some people like to imagine problematic situations at work beforehand. Maybe they convince themselves that it will help them be prepared for every scenario and react quickly in times of conflict. In reality, this only causes unnecessary anxiety and suspicion. And one begins to look for hidden meanings in the actions of colleagues, although there is no reason to do so.
Go back to the facts that you know for sure, and don’t makeup too much stuff.
3. Let off steam
It is useful to have a friend at work to whom you can complain when something goes wrong or demands are impossible. This is not the colleague from the first example, who was just there when you were annoyed. It is someone whom you trust and to whom you can safely pour out your soul.
Periodically, this is necessary, so do not keep the negative emotions inside. But don’t forget to switch to something positive after every “therapy session.” Otherwise, you might ruin your and your friend’s mood for the rest of the day.
For example, think about what an unpleasant situation can teach you or how you can change your approach. If you are the listener, remind your friend.
4. Communicate verbally
Many people now prefer to communicate with colleagues in writing. It’s quick and convenient, but messages don’t convey the intonation and can cause misunderstandings.
Sometimes there comes a time when you need to call or meet in person. The conversation can be difficult. To resolve conflict or avoid it (if possible), put yourself in your colleague’s shoes.
For example, start like this: “So you were upset when I…” or “You wanted to handle the situation differently, and I…”. Then you will definitely understand each other’s positions.
5. Learn not to waste energy
Let’s say you’re about to meet a client and you discuss it with a colleague. He promises to support you during the negotiation and agrees to your recommendations. He has let you down before, but you have had a conversation and seem to have built a relationship. So you decide to trust him.
So in a meeting, the client doesn’t take your advice and the colleague takes his side. You look foolish. You don’t want to make a scene in front of the client, you have to hold back. And afterwards, your colleague has the audacity to claim that the meeting was crazy.
What can you do? I’m sure you want to say a few nice things to him. This is the second time he has let you down! But in that case, it’s best to cut the conversation short and get away from him at the earliest opportunity. You are not doing it for your colleague, you are doing it for yourself to save your energy and nerves. Don’t try to understand why he did what he did. And don’t try to re-educate him, it won’t work. Just remember that it is very likely he will do it again. And act accordingly
