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Conflicts in a team are commonly considered to be troublesome and even dangerous, as they create an aggressive environment and disrupt the climate. However, this only happens when the team does not have solid strategies for handling and, most importantly, for making the best out of them. In this article, we will talk about how you can learn to anticipate conflicts and how to deal with them. Just keep in mind that it is unrealistic to fit such an extremely complex topic into one small text. That is why we strongly recommend that you take the training courses https://cmaconsulting.com.au/inhouse-training-workshops/getting-past-conflict/, which will help you resolve them effectively. And now let’s move on to the points.
1. Determine if the conflict needs to be resolved
Disagreement in a team is not always a bad thing. Emotional discussions, openly expressing a point of view, and trying to defend an opinion are often working moments among bright and creative people. Such disagreements lead to new, sometimes unconventional solutions. And there is no reason to worry if at moments of “boiling passions” colleagues do not go to the level of personalities and easily return to the usual communication after the solution of the problem.
But personal conflicts occur when the focus is on a particular person and the relationship with him. As soon as you feel that you find yourself in the thick of unpleasant emotions, try to calm down and focus your energy on the task. After all, a dispute is always two points of view and two options for development. This is better than their absence. The main task is to choose the most favorable one for the common cause or to combine them by finding a universal solution.
2. Identify the conflict
It’s important to learn to spot the first signs of conflict. This is the moment when friendly jokes turn into barbs, and colleagues begin to communicate less, despite the need to solve common tasks. The atmosphere in the team ceases to be comfortable even for those who are not openly involved in the conflict. And of course, the quality of work suffers.
At this stage, it is important to recognize the existence of the conflict, and most importantly – to understand the cause. This can be personal ambitions of employees, professional contradictions, and even improper distribution of tasks or unclear instructions.
3. Clarify the situation
It is good if there is a leader or other person in the team who is willing to take on the role of judge. The main thing is not to take sides and let everyone speak out. It is important to shift the parties’ attention from negative emotions to facts. This will help you focus not on the circumstances that led to the conflict but on how to resolve the problem quickly.
4. Find a collective solution
It is important that the parties heard each other’s point of view and jointly found a way out of the situation. After all, if both parties are happy with the decision taken, no one will feel like a loser. The essence of reconciliation is not to quickly resolve the conflict in any way, but to come to the best possible option.
5. Focus on Goals and Values
Each team has a common goal – something they do their work together for, something that inspires and motivates them. It’s important to be reminded of this in time. Maybe look at the purpose from a different angle to mobilize participants to find the right solution. Shift the focus to the results of the work and the pleasant emotions of the accomplished task.
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