There are a number of conflicts that can occur in the workplace for one reason or the other. And being the leader of the team, you need to know how to sort it out before it spills over. Now, getting the right way of doing just that can be a challenge.
Not just because most people don’t know how to solve conflicts, but at times the problems may have been deeper than anticipated. You need the right channels if you’re to truly solve the problem. Here, you can find a few steps that you can use.
Sometimes you can’t act as the mediator yourself since you may be partial to certain areas. So, you need to be open to the idea of getting a mediator to help you deal with the problem. among other ideas. Here are a few steps that you can follow when it comes to resolving disputes at work.
Identify a Mediator
First and foremost, as stated above, you need to identify a mediator to help you solve the problem. A neutral party will not only help you keep the workplace calm but will also ensure an impartial verdict.
You, however, need to find someone who is trained to deal with such scenarios. Some conflicts in most cases need a neutral party, for example, in-subordination issues. This is where a trained professional comes in, identifies the problem, and solves it.
Separate People From the Problem
Conflict issues need to be dealt with in a mature way at workplaces. You can’t just pick one party and lay the blame on them and send them. You have to focus on what the problem is.
For example, at times the problem may have been caused by the lack of resources. Here, all you have to do is find a way that the resources are shared in turns – you more or less ration. You need to also find out if the process of sharing is unfair and solve it.
Be Clear on the Problem
The next thing you want to do is ensure that you are clear about what the problem is. If you’re the one solving the conflict, you need to hear what both sides have to say. Try to be impartial as this will help you figure out what the real problem is.
When you carefully listen, the underlying factor of where the conflict originated from will be clear. Here, you can choose to figure out what each party’s interest is before going forward. Under no circumstance should you focus on their individual positions.
Explore All Avenues
If it just isn’t working out, why not explore all the options available to help you solve the problem? For example, try picking the brains of both parties about the best way they feel to move forward.
You don’t want to lean on either of them for the final resolution, but find out how they wish to resolve the problem. It should, however, result in a win-win situation for both parties. Even if they all have to settle on a compromise, they should both walk away with something.
Reach an Agreement
Remember when you were young and after a fight with that kid on the playground, you were forced to shake their hand, symbolizing a truce? Well, that was a sign that the conflict had been resolved and life was to go back to normal. Here, you want to have the same case.
But since the conflict is between grown-ups you can’t coerce them to hug or shake hands, you need a better approach. You can either have a verbal agreement that the conflict has been resolved or have a written one.
The agreement should state that the resolution was the best possible outcome and everyone is happy with it.
Conclusion
In the workplace, your team is made of people from different backgrounds and social standings. There are bound to be some conflicts from time to time.
You, however, have to find the right way to deal with the problem before it grows into a full-blown issue in the workplace. Here are a few steps to use for conflict resolution.
Also read – Where to Find Executive Leadership Training Online