Three Steps to Resolve Conflict Quickly!

Three Steps to Resolve Conflict Quickly!

Leaders Resolving Conflict:  One of the problems that many leaders we coach most dislike facing is resolving conflict between their staff.  They would much rather have employees resolve their own disputes. Yet given how many people would like to avoid those associates they are not getting along with, leaders need to have the skills to step in.

The Fear of the Intervention:  One of the reasons I find leaders don’t want to jump into the fray is a fear that they don’t have the skills to mediate the dispute, or that resolution will take too much time. Both concerns may be unfounded.

Why CEOs Fail:  According to Fortune Magazine “Why CEOs Fail” research, there are two top reasons why CEOs fail: 1) failure to meet financial goals; and 2) failure to confront their direct reports with problems — especially people problems — that they knew needed to be resolved but that the CEOs were avoiding.

As a leader, your success may be linked to assuming leadership in conflict and exercising good conflict management skills.

What Should You Do?

Here Are Three Steps for an Easy Mediation Exercise:

While professionals have spent years learning how to resolve conflict, here’s a relatively easy mediation technique to try. Have the two combatants plan to tell the story of the conflict from their partner’s perspective.

1. Instruct them to assume positive intent and use empathy. Most people in the workplace are not evil and do not intentionally sabotage others.
2.  Ask them to try to use “I” statements instead of “you” statements.
3. After one partner has articulated their side of the dispute, ask the other to reflect back on how accurate the  statement might have been.

For more conflict management techniques, visit Workplaces That Work Monday Memos.

What Do You Think?

What’s the best way you have found to mediate disputes at work? Call or write us at:  303-216-1020 or Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com