Can't We All Just Get Along?

Do you ever find yourself saying these words above? If you’re frustrated by foremen, supervisors or crew members who just can’t get along then it’s time to resolve these workplace conflicts now! After all, have you ever stopped to consider what it’s costing you to let these problems linger? Consider this fact. A survey of 150 senior managers at America’s largest 1,000 companies found that today’s managers spend almost one full day each week resolving staff personality conflicts! How much does that cost your bottom-line? Plenty! Read on for our 7 steps to improving staff personality conflicts.

Effective management and communication requires flexibility. When trying to resolve any kind of workplace conflict remember you’re not trying to mediate Middle East peace talks. Though the egos that are involved may be as large as two conflicting nations, world peace is not on the line. I tell you this to add a little perspective to your situation. Perspective after all, has everything to do with conflict.

Both parties involved believe themselves to be “right” from their subjective and limited point of view. Your job is to be objective while offering careful validation to both parties. You do this while creating a solution that doesn’t add to the problem.

Here are some key steps to remember in neutralizing the aggravated situation:

1. See yourself as an investigator. Fact finding is extremely important. Before you start trying to offer solutions, you have to know the problem.

2. Contrast is the greatest thing in the world for perception. As you are asking the fact finding questions, take the two parties outside of their familiar environment to a neutral location that isn’t closed in.

3. Early on have both parties tell the other what they appreciate about the other. Many times people aren’t even upset about the actual event. They may just be upset because they feel under appreciated by the other person. The present conflict may be a symptom of that frustration.

4. Ask each party how they feel that their current perception is serving them. Ask them if they really feel that this perspective is serving their best interest as a team member. Asking the right questions is very important in getting the right answers to reveal themselves. Many times people have the answers inside already, they simply need someone to help them surface.

5. You are in the business of managing and broadening the limited perception of both parties. People gain bigger and better perceptions by having more and better information. Add new layers of information to each person’s perceptions so they can reach a new and less agitated level of understanding.



6. Remember the fantastic use of contrast in crafting new perceptions. Have both parties now compare their new perceptions with the old perceptions for contrast. By doing this, you’re getting them to see how much more effective the new perception is compared to the old one.

7. Have both parties engage in a firm hand shake with direct eye contact. Have them say these lines one at a time to each other, “I believe that we can now move past this situation. I will make a committed effort to do so.”

Always keep in mind, that many times work place conflict can be a symptom of an aggravated workplace environment. Take regular inventory of possible sources of agitation for the employees. Again, be an investigator and ask your employees about possible stressors that can be removed. Happy and less stressed employees are employees that are less likely to find fault with their coworkers. This of course contributes to a more successful, more profitable and smoother running company.





Can't We All Just Get Along? - To learn more about this author, visit Jonathan Goldhill's Website.

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