‘’Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict’’ – William Ellery Channing
Ever felt a sense of discontent while heading to work? Or to avoid interaction with a few who do not align with your methods? When a pool of people, with a sense of purpose, direction and drive is put together, conflict is unavoidable. What matters though is the way it’s handled – a trait that demarcates standouts from the rest. Resolving conflict at workplace is paramount to ensure seamless functioning, for the business cannot suffer owing to differences amongst employees.
Having handled quite a few challenging situations, I opine that conflict flares up when not tackled at the root and worsens when grapevine comes into picture. As individuals, it’s quite common for anyone to have a difference of opinion. While it could be against a person or a larger group, it’s pertinent to talk and set the disagreements aside, or at the least, minimize it. A few suggestions:
- Look what’s best for business: If the issue at stake is due to differences in execution that’s correct from both the parties, look what’s best for business – in terms of execution or cost. Set aside your egos and adapt the one that would benefit the most.
- Talk to the Individual; never let a person know from grapevine: Curb dissent in the early stages rather than drawing out swords. Have an open conversation and validate your point of view. It would be awkward when the person knows through hearsay, also causing irreparable damage.
- Shed confirmatory bias; don’t hold it against the person: Don’t be opinionated about a person. Chances are that you might start on the wrong foot owing to pre conceived notions –vice versa is also likely. In case of any behavioural issues, talk to the respective individual and clarify your stance.
- Strike a middle ground: If unable to come to a compromise about the situation, strike a middle ground that both parties would benefit from. Make an effort to understand the other person’s perspective and respect their opinion as well.
- Stay poised; involve third party if complicated: If the circumstance is difficult and talks have reached a standstill, involve someone with adequate knowledge of the subject to mediate and resolve the pickle. Maintain your decorum in the discussion; don’t let your emotions get the best of you.
- Try informal methods: E-mails and meetings isn’t the resolution for all concerns, for trivial issues still within control, have a candid chat and try to resolve it amicably. Setting the right expectations will give others the appropriate way of handling things related to you on all official matters.
Whatever be the method you adopt, learn from the experience. A significant trait of climbing up the corporate ladder is to handle and negotiate disagreements in an amicable manner, so when an opportunity arises, use it to prove your problem solving skills. Also, handling disputes will give you the mental strength and prowess to deal with any untoward situation in all walks of life.
You may also want to read other articles written by the author: ‘Stop limiting yourself‘, ‘Doing what you love – hobbies and passion to opportunity‘, ‘ Maximise your productivity to unleash your potential‘, ‘Be your own boss‘, ‘Broaden your intellectual horizon‘, ‘Career metamorphosis – Expert to beginner’, ‘Importance of networking for success in your career’, ‘Busy Day vs Productive Day‘, ‘Money matters for womens financial independence‘, ‘ ‘Being overlooked for promotion‘ , ‘Addressing the gender paygap disparity ‘ , ‘ The art of saying No at work‘ , ‘ Reviving from an unfavourable performance appraisal ‘ , ‘Dealing with a difficult boss‘ , ‘The performance punishment’, ‘Strategies for Career goals’
About the author:
Nithya Jagadish –
I am a commerce graduate with an overall experience of 10 years in the Corporate Industry and handled diversified assignments at HSBC and Hewlett Packard. After gaining considerable knowledge and success during my tenure, I decided to focus my attention on other areas of interest. Now, a doting mother of a one year old, I spend my day reading, apprising on my topics of interest and baby-sitting.
An avid reader and poetry enthusiast, my love for writing started while at school and my dreams have borne fruits after motherhood. I strongly believe in living life to the fullest and making the most of each beautiful day.
(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)
You can reach our guest bloggers by mailing us at support@hersecondinnings.com.
Her Second Innings, helps capable women professionals to find their calling in their second innings. Women looking to get back to their careers, or needing advice to pursue alternate career to become financially independent Sign up with us and complete your profile. Feel free to connect with us at support@hersecondinnings.com after completing your registration formalities, our career experts would be happy to have a conversation with you and assist you to take the assessment to gauge your current knowledge level to restart your career. Bridge your gap with our Returnship programs.
Disclaimer:
“This blog claims no credit for any images or content posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images and content on this blog belong to their respective owners. If there is an image or content on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please e-mail us with a link to said image or content and it will be promptly removed.”
