Businesses have slowly begun the transition from the home office, back into the main office. Working from home has its perks, but there are some jobs that thrive in an in-person setting. Where there is more face-to-face contact, there are more disputes that can potentially occur. The workplace is no stranger to conflict, whether that be with fellow coworkers or clients and customers themselves. It can be hard to maintain your composure when unexpected conflicts arise, but here we have some tips on how to stay professional while you address the situation.
Kill them with kindness
Whether you are having a disagreement with a coworker or a customer, it always helps to be nice and remain as calm as possible. Arguments can escalate very quickly when yelling or name calling occur. Always maintaining a polite and pleasant attitude, even when you disagree with someone, will help the situation stay peaceful and give you the ability to resolve it quicker. If you set aside your need to be right and just agree to disagree and find a resolution that will work, things will run much more smoothly for both parties involved. Lead by example by having a pleasant attitude, they are likely to reflect your behavior.
Take a break or walk away
If you find the situation escalating beyond your control with a customer or are simply just not seeing eye to eye with your coworker, it’s okay to take a break. Stepping out for a breather is key to maintaining a clear and composed headspace to address the issue at hand. Sometimes all it takes is a step back to be able to identify what actions need to be taken to fix the problem.
Delegate to higher management
In almost every job, there are opportunities to promote within the company, and there are promotions for a reason. They usually come with a pay increase and that is to account for having to deal with conflict when it arises. Management gets paid to deal with it so if you can’t resolve it on your own, you have someone to pass the situation on to. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your management team for help, they are properly trained and equipped to handle tough situations.
Stand up for yourself
Unlike how the saying goes, the customer is not always right. Some people can be nasty and rude and think that acting that way will get them what they want. If we reward that behavior or even just allow it to happen, we are encouraging them and enabling them to continue to be disrespectful. There are times when you need to put your foot down and there is a way to do that in a mature and professional manner. Disagreement is different from disrespect.
No matter what your occupation is, you should always strive to maintain a professional demeanor while at work, even during unpleasant situations. No one wants to deal with conflict, but we know that it will happen from time to time and knowing how to handle it can help things get resolved sooner. While you are at work you are not only the face of the company but you show your integrity through your actions.
