Please note that this post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
Whether it’s a competitive coworker, an obnoxious team member, or an ongoing team disagreement, conflict in the workplace can take many forms and is often very difficult to navigate.
While some conflict is normal, and even healthy to an extent, other conflict is not and can erode employee morale, reduce productivity, and cause enormous employee stress.
No one wants to have to deal with workplace conflict, but it’s certainly a skill worth mastering as conflict is largely inevitable in any workplace.
Related: 5 Tips on Establishing Healthy Relationships with Colleagues
Fortunately, conflicts in the workplace generally require a similar approach—no matter how different they may appear to be on the surface. It all comes down to a few techniques you can easily utilize in any situation.
Learn how you can successfully navigate and manage conflicts in the workplace with these 5 straightforward tips.
5 Tips to Navigate Workplace Conflicts
1. Always strive to listen more than you speak. You’ve probably heard before that communication (or lack thereof) is the number one reason why relationships fail, and the same goes for working relationships. However, communication is a two-way street, meaning listening is just as (if not more) important as speaking. So much of the time, disagreements arise because one party feels like they’re not being heard. Stay ahead of those conflicts and disagreements by simply striving to be a better listener.
2. Don’t burn bridges. As a general rule, you should always expect that you will continue working with those you’ve encountered conflict with. For this reason, don’t burn any bridges in the workplace.
3. Keep it professional, not personal. It may be tempting to let your viewpoints and arguments get personal, especially in the heat of the moment. However, the moment you cross the line from professional to personal, you instantly lose your credibility. This means also avoiding the blame game at all costs. Aggressive speaking and personal attacks will not resolve any conflicts. Keeping it professional and focused on the facts though, will actually lead to positive outcomes and resolutions.
4. Avoid triangulation, if possible. When you bring in a third party to the conflict, such as your boss, this is known as triangulation. However, triangulating usually doesn’t directly resolve the issues as it removes any sense of responsibility from the original party members. In fact, it usually keeps those originally involved in the conflict from actually solving anything.
5. Show empathy. A little empathy can go a long way when it comes to conflict in the office. Strive to understand others’ viewpoints, and try putting yourself in their shoes, especially when disagreements arise. It’s much easier to meet someone in the middle and find a working solution when you can understand where they’re coming from.
Drop a line