It’s natural to shy away from workplace conflict. Or they could simply need comforting because of personal problems. Someone could be making inappropriate comments about a colleague. Or rallying against a new manager or their decisions. Is there a personality clash in the team? Perhaps someone is hurt that they didn’t get that promotion. Is an employee struggling to cope? Are they under-performing? Does a manager need to fire someone, or make them redundant? Or perhaps turn down leave or a request for flexibility. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.”- William Ellery Channing, American Theologian “Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. It’s also simply a matter of adjusting your mindset and developing awareness through agile learning. With the relationships between colleagues being so vital for increasing personal and organisational productivity, it is essential to have the skills to deliver those looming conversations in a constructive and focused manner.Ĭonflict resolution and learning how to tackle difficult conversations are important parts of leadership development. When people feel passionately about a subject, and emotions are heightened or intentions unclear, miscommunications can easily occur. We’re all too aware of the truth in that saying: that it takes years to build bridges and mere moments to tear them down in a single triggering event (Reina & Reina, 2010, pp. You’re so stressed by the time the conversation does come around, saying the wrong thing is much more likely. What if I say the wrong thing? Could this derail the task at hand? What if they aren’t willing to work so cooperatively with me anymore? It can drain you of energy and motivation and affect your productivity. The anticipation or the fallout can make you feel like you’re treading on eggshells every day. How do you approach a glaring problem at work, or deal with something that’s gone wrong? Or relay bad news, without making things even worse? Maybe you tried before and did just that? Whatever the angle, delivering difficult conversations is no small task for leaders (nor anyone else, for that matter). “The best way out is always through.” ― Robert Frost, American Poet
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