Reducing workplace con�lict

YOU cannot avoid conflict. When a team is newly formed, or when placed under stressful conditions, it is inevitable that one or two people will not get along with other team members. But just because there is conflict does not mean that your team cannot work together. Sometimes, conflict is necessary to bring to the surface underlying issues that the team needs to address to come to terms with disagreements, and to appreciate each other’s differences. But this can only happen if you, as the team leader, take advantage of the situation by facilitating dialogue and working toward a solution that works to the advantage of the whole team.

Conflict in the workplace is disruptive and derails people from doing what they need to do. Knowing how to reduce conflict helps your team focus on their work, be more productive, and it helps you create an environment where they are fully engaged. Sustained conflict and unaddressed issues can cause physical distress and even make your team members sick. To ensure that your team consistently collaborates toward a common goal, you need to clear roadblocks to your team’s success which includes the way they work with each other.

The most detrimental approach to handling conflict is ignoring it. There are managers who already sense the tension among their team members and yet do nothing about it. Ignoring conflict within your team will gradually escalate the situation into a significant problem. When you see the first signs of agitation, you need to uncover why they are disturbed, what is causing it, and what you can do to prevent them from fighting with each other. Whatever you do, do not ignore the conflict.

Another way to reduce conflict in your team is to communicate openly. Your team needs to understand that whatever feedback they will tell you, it will not be taken against them. It would be helpful to have regular individual meetings with each of your team members to understand their motivations, interests and professional goals so that you can properly support their growth. This also provides them with an avenue where they can air out their frustrations and disappointments with other team members. This way, you can help them rather than wait for their issues to blow up.

Aside from increasing transparency, you also need to communicate clearly. Expectations need to be defined, and assigned tasks need to be aligned to the tasks and responsibilities of each team member. Vague and ambiguous instructions can easily frustrate the receiver, much more when they need to work with other team members on the same project. When you give instructions, ensure that the deliverable is understood, and it is obvious to them what they can and cannot do. Empower your team to make decisions on their own but ensure the boundaries of their authority are clearly delineated.

One of the common causes of conflict in a team is workload management. I remember when I was still a new leader and supervising a group of teachers, I had to ensure that each of them had sufficient teaching hours, but in the middle of the school year one of my teachers had to let go of her advisory class and I had to assign it to one of my teachers. The advisory class became an issue because all the other teachers were

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS

DAY: Christina Hendricks, 48; Kristin Lehman, 51; Amy Ryan, 55; Frankie Valli, 89.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Be direct this year if you want to get things done. Action rather than conversation will make more sense when trying to get others on board. Let what you do be what attracts attention and support. People from your past will be eager to reconnect. Be careful not to forgive and forget too quickly. Make your thoughts and feelings clear to avoid disappointment. Your numbers are 6, 14, 20, 25, 34, 43, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Stop before you say something you regret. Bide your time and pay attention to taking care of your responsibilities instead of commenting on what others contribute. Problems at home will surface if you overreact or let anger get the better of you. ★★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make home and family your priorities. Implement changes that are cost-efficient and inventive. Refuse to let your emotions override common sense. Pay attention to what others do and say in order to avoid being represented negatively. Concentrate on what you want to achieve. ★★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Stop worrying about what others do and take care of your responsibilities. Taking on too much or expecting too much from others will cause anxiety and a falling out with one of your peers. Avoid controversy, and don’t reveal secrets or personal information. ★★★★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Do what you can to help, but don’t take on debt for someone else’s benefit. Be clear what you are willing to contribute before you begin. Don’t let your personal life interfere with your professional responsibilities. ★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep your thoughts to yourself, and don’t reveal your financial situation. Someone will be eager to take advantage of you if you are too open about connections, skills or money. Be a good listener instead of bragging about your success. ★★★★ coordinate with other teachers and eventually came up with a solution amenable to everyone. Your team needs to understand what additional workloads mean and how such would impact their performance and evaluation.

Sometimes, conflicts arise because people take it too personally. Work is work and they should not take it against people who are just doing their job.

Your team needs to understand that positions and functions have inherent responsibilities and tasks that might conflict with their own way of working. When I was still in a call center, one of the things I would do was to listen to calls with the quality assurance team so that I could have a clearer picture group. Some agents took it personally when they were given feedback, and even talked back unnecessarily to their coach. One of the quality assurance supervisors reminded the agent that they were there to help him become better and went on to coach him on how to improve. The tone and demeanor of the agent changed because he realized that quality assurance was just doing their job. Sometimes, you just have to remind your team that people are just doing their jobs and to not take everything personally.

Another way you can reduce conflict in your team is to teach them anger management skills that they can use to reduce conflict. One is to not speak when angry to avoid saying things that they might regret