Resolving Workplace Conflicts

We deal with conflicts in all areas of our life, from our wife and our children to our parents and our siblings. But often we also deal with conflicts in the workplace, and these can be the most difficult conflicts to resolve. We are better equipped to handle familial conflicts because of the foundation of relationship that is already in place, both before and after the conflict. In the workplace, however, conflicts can become much more volcanic, as we can be dealing with people we hardly knew, or with people we wish we hardly knew! There is no magic elixir that can make workplace conflicts go away completely in an infallible manner, but there certainly are specific things you can do that will enable you to diffuse workplace conflicts before they spin out of control, no matter how close they are to spinning out of control already.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when dealing with conflict, especially in the workplace, is assigning blame. If you tell someone, "You don't do any work," they are less likely to react the way you might like for them to react than if you say, "I feel like I am doing all the work here."

When dealing with conflicts, an excellent approach is the "us versus the problem" approach. This approach essentially aims to allow both individuals involved in the conflict to work together against the problem, instead of the two individuals being pitted against one another. This is also a great way to avoid placing blame, as the problem becomes something both people are fighting against together, instead of something that is being ascribed to one person.

Finally, think long and hard about the prudence of involving your superiors in a conflict before you do so. While this can settle an argument for good, it also can create bitterness between yourself and the coworker in question. Furthermore - no matter who is "right" and who is "wrong" - nobody looks good when a conflict gets taken to a higher-up.

Conflict resolution is not always easy, but it is often necessary. Instead of fighting and making your conflicts worse, learn how to solve them.