This is a topic no one gravitates to – no one wants to manage conflict, but it is a part of life, and good things can come as a result. The most important first step to handle workplace conflict effectively as a manager is to listen to all parties involved. Remain neutral, identify the root cause, and facilitate a solution-focused discussion to reach a mutual agreement or compromise.
Here are the steps to help you deal with workplace conflict as a manager:
Identify the Conflict: Recognize when a conflict arises and determine its overall theme.
Listen to All Parties: Give everyone involved a chance to share their perspective without interruption. Ask follow-up questions and dig a little into areas that your gut is telling you to. Depending on the issue, I often will ask what outcome that person is hoping for.
Assess the Situation: Determine the root cause of the conflict, its impact on the team, and workflow disruptions.
Remain Neutral: This can sometimes be an inner struggle, but always approach the situation impartially and avoid taking sides. It is important to realize that for each participant, in that moment, they are feeling the way the are feeling and there is value to that.
Encourage Open Communication: Facilitate or plan a discussion where all parties can express their concerns and viewpoints – I often leave it to the parties if they want a mediator (me) in there or want to hash it out alone and loop me in afterwards.
Identify Solutions: Collaborate with the involved parties to find possible solutions. This is where they will look to you for solutions to get through the conflict and move forward in a good way. Encourage them to contribute to the resolution process.
Agree on Action Steps: Decide on a course of action that is acceptable to all parties involved. Sometimes this part takes time. Be patient – good results are not always easy.
Implement and Monitor: Put the agreed-upon solution into action and monitor the situation to ensure the conflict is resolved.
Follow-up: Check in with the parties involved to ensure the conflict has not resurfaced and that the resolution is still effective. Make sure your team is moving forward in a positive, productive way.
Learn and Adapt: Reflect on the conflict and your handling of it to learn and improve future conflict resolution strategies. This is a never-ending cycle because we are all humans with separate lives, struggles and opinions. That is why its great to be human!
Conflict helps us all grow.