Conflict keeps us from reaching our full potential. Being worried about issues with coworkers takes up too much space in your mind that should be focused on other things. Conflict at work can also cause problems when it comes to moving up in the company. The best thing you can do is work to resolve any complications that come up right away. It will benefit your work environment and your home life as well. Try some of these tricks to do away with conflict.
Talk Face to Face
In the digital world that we live in, it can be hard to step out from behind it and talk face to face. When communicating about sensitive topics, it is best not to do it through a text. An email or text can be read in many different tones than the one that you intended. The only way to ensure you are understood is to speak in person. Body language is also not able to be read through a device. Step out from behind technology and be brave and solve your problems face to face.
Leave out Personalities
Personalities are not something that you can change about others. When you are talking through your conflicts, leave personalities out of it. Focus on specific events and behaviors that can be resolved. When you attack who someone is, it is hard to ever recover from that. Talking about particular actions related to your work environment are the only topics you should bring up. Anything more is outside of the bound that you should discuss with a coworker. Keep it professional.
Listen
The most significant part of resolving a conflict is taking your turn and listening. No one wants to hear or even talk to someone that does not listen in return. Understanding a person’s true motives behind their actions is the best way to get to the bottom of an issue. Sometimes all it will take to end a conflict is hearing a different point of view. Without it, you are just left to wonder why they went forward with their actions. Take your turn to stay silent and take in all the information before speaking.
Agree to Disagree
Find things that you have in common and agree on. Focusing first on those things you feel the same about will get your conversation off to a great start. You may find that there are more areas that you agree on than you disagree on. With the groundwork laid, you will be able to handle your disagreements easier. And it is okay not to agree on everything. There are times you have to agree to disagree.
Follow Through
After all the talking and listening, follow through on our plan to eliminate the conflict. There is no way to expect others to changes if we are not willing to bend ourselves. Keep up your end, and you will be surprised how coworkers will do the same.
Don’t waste headspace worrying about conflict.
