Screaming Employees? Resolving Conflicts in the Workplace

Do you have employees that are out and out fightingopportunity to tell their story, from their perspective.
with each other at work? Yelling, screaming, notRemind the other people involved that we are each
getting along or perhaps has difficult relationships withlistening, listening to each person's perspective. This is
their supervisor?Conflicts in the workplace happena key.4. Paraphrase the stories of each person. This
frequently and the fallout can be costly to theensures that each story has been understood. Using
employer and the employee. Developing the skills tophrases such as "What I am hearing you say is.... Is
resolve conflicts that arise can save your companythat right?"5. After everyone has had an opportunity
significant money. First let's look at the costs:1.to tell their story, brainstorm possible solutions. Again,
Decreased productivity due to the emotions involvedthis isn't a time to judge. Whenever you are
in interpersonal conflict.2. time lost from work bybrainstorming you want all the ideas, good or bad, or
employees3. time lost from work by managersout in left field. One of them might be the idea that
involved in the conflict4. recruitment and training ofhelps someone come up with the BEST solution.6.
new employees5. decreased productivity by otherIdentify the solutions that work for each party. Ifs
staff due to tension/stress and the overall workimportant that the solution is agreeable to each party
environmentThe root of many conflicts isand the company. In order for the agreed upon
communication: either unclear communication, resultingsolution to work and be successful, you need buy
in misunderstandings. One strategy to address risingin.7. Agree to do the solution. The last step is the
incidents of conflict is communication training.key to moving forward.Some common pitfalls:Don't
Teaching people how to listen and how to talk clearlytake sides. As the manager your interest is the
can prevent and decrease conflicts. Communication iscompany, the resolution of the conflict and each
such a challenge. So often, we feel we have beenemployee.Don't mandate a solution; you want the
really clear, only to find out that the other personstaff invested in the solution.What do you do if
really misunderstood us. Being a clear communicatorstaffs refuse to participate in conflict
takes commitment. You need to be able to talk in aresolution?Offering staffs the opportunity to resolve
neutral sort of way, eliminating inflammatoryconflict is a much better option than being disciplined,
emotions. Speak from the heart and listen from thehaving supervisor mandated solutions or taking no
heart are good basic guidelines. Beyond the basics,action at all. When staffs refuse to cooperate or
are to listen deeply to what the other person isparticipate, its time to talk with them about your
saying and then to check-in with them. Ask them: "iscompany policies, their personal responsibility for their
this what you are saying?" It lets the person you arebehavior and actions and your responsibility as the
talking with know what you have understood andowner or manager to take actions based on their
gives them the opportunity to clarify or correctbehavior. The intent of this type of conversation isn't
misunderstandings.What do you do when theto threaten disciplinary action, but to talk about the
conflicts have escalated? Resolving conflicts are goodreality of the situation and the need to resolve it.
for everyone involved, but sometimes it's hard toEach individual makes choices, as supervisors our
see that in the moment for the people directly inactions are based upon the behaviors and actions of
conflict. As mentioned earlier, conflict is costly.the employee. As the supervisor you are encouraging
Sometimes as the owner, or manager we forgetgood choice making, but the reality is that some
that there is a great cost to us but also to thepeople will make a poor choice and choose to
employee. Changing jobs due to a conflict means acontinue to act in ways that are not acceptable in
great deal of change for an employee. They mightyour workplace.In these situations you must then
not be able to get the same level of pay; benefits;follow your organizations policies as outlined for your
shifts, etc that they are accustomed to. The impactemployees in the employee handbook. Resolving the
to the employee and their family can be high.As theconflict and creating a good work environment for
leader you can set-up an effective environment toeveryone is my first choice as the manager
resolve the dispute by following some simple stepssupervisor/owner.Conflicts in the workplace can be
and laying out a couple of guidelines.First, spend timesuccessfully resolved, by listening. Giving each person
talking with each person involved. Let them knowspace to tell their story validates them and
that your belief is that developing a shared solution iscommunicates to them their value to you and the
important to each person and that you value each oforganization. Using the simple process outlined keeps
the employees involved. During the individual meetingsyou moving in a positive direction.Written by: Donna
you can begin to gather information about what theyPrice, President and Founder of Compass Rose
see as the possible solutions. Let the employeesConsulting, LLC. Donna provides business coaching to
know that your intent is to meet with each of themsmall business owners, business leaders, and work
and then with them together, to talk about theirteams. Her experience as a senior level manager for
perspective and possible solutions to the conflict.Use18 years and extensive experience working with
a simple & effective process:1. Create a safe spacepeople to achieve their goals. Donna is the creator of
for involved parties to talk. (private, neutral)2. Set outthe Business Builders Intensive, a comprehensive
the guidelines:Only one person talks at a timeNotele-series focused on building your business. Her
interruptions, defending or justifyingCome in with aninnovative coaching and other programs are great
open mind, open to the possible solutions and beopportunities for business owners seeking to improve
willing to compromise.3. Give each person antheir business results.