15 Jul HOW TO HANDLE CONFLICT AS A LEADER
As you grow into the position of leadership you also take on the responsibility to help guide individuals to their full potential whether this is at work or at home. Part of this responsibility is managing conflict that may arise. This could be conflict with colleagues, conflict with tasks or even conflict with you as their leader, regardless of the conflict at hand there are proven steps that can help make the process of resolution easier.
BE RESPECTFUL
This may seem intuitive but when tensions are high emotions can get in the way. It is important to remember to respect all parties involved in the conflict because every view of the situation matters. Part of showing this act of respect is to listen carefully to all and try to process and understand what they are saying and where they are coming from. Once you have heard everyone clearly you can then try to locate the root of the conflict and create a resolution plan.
IDENTIFY THE CONFLICT
Sometimes the problem is really a misunderstanding or miscommunication, so it is critical to state the conflict and describe what you feel the conflict is. You want to address this conflict with professionalism and consideration while keeping in mind how you would want to be viewed after the conflict is over. Do not ignore or downplay conflict it will only make it worse so address it head on in the most thoughtful way possible. CCL.COM said it perfectly, “While many people are uncomfortable talking about emotions in the workplace, it’s better to express emotions in a forthright, appropriate way rather than having pent-up emotions gush out. To appropriately address emotions:
- Express information in a way that casts no blame.
- Be sure that expressing emotions is helpful.
- Don’t let your own hot buttons interfere with the process.
- Be specific. Instead of “I feel bad,” say, “I am frustrated because …”
- Use the “I” word instead of “You,” as in: “I am disappointed that the conflict came to this point.” Not: “You are to blame for this mess.”
IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS
Once everyone can agree on the problem time to work on the solution. Try to make this collaborative so everyone feels heard and the resolution will satisfy all parties because at the end of the day everyone is one the same team and working towards the same goals. Embracing the change that come with the conflict resolution will lead to better production and results.
As a leader it is important to create an atmosphere of openness, constructive criticism, and problem solving (2). Having a positive environment will foster more discussions opposed to conflicts. Here at FITTEAM we encourage our leaders (Brand Partners) to continue to grow and push themselves to be the best leaders they can and help their teams do the same. If you are looking for ways to grow as a leader, we encourage to learn more about what our opportunity offers!
Sources:
(2)https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/calm-conflict-in-the-workplace/
(3)https://ndcnews.org/2018/06/27/how-leaders-effectively-manage-conflict/
(4)https://sfmagazine.com/post-entry/august-2017-managing-conflict-as-a-leader/