Publish at October 26 2022 Updated October 26 2022
Every living thing will eventually come into conflict with another. Plants use all sorts of techniques to protect themselves or get more light, even if it means smothering others. Animals defend their territory, their family or their food when one of their fellow creatures tries to steal from them. As for us, humans, there are many reasons for conflict. All it takes is for characters to be even slightly incompatible and a lack of communication to be added to the mix for tension to arise.
Workplaces are "perfect" incubators for impatience, annoyances and quarrels. The result: 25% of an executive's time will be spent resolving disputes in their company. This may seem like a waste of time, yet it's a critical task because unresolved disputes cost companies, from the smallest to the largest, a lot of money. The financial and productivity losses are rather incompatible with a performance-driven world like ours. Not to mention the effects on the mental health of the other workers and those involved.
So this topic is of great concern to executives, and many articles on the Internet talk about it, for the good reason that many are uncomfortable with managing the negative emotions involved. So, some literally adopt the avoidance strategy or use their authority to fix everything. Methods that will only exacerbate the tensions present in the work environment, especially since conflict is not ipso facto a bad thing. It often reveals something hidden, which had not been considered by managers and others.
Irritants rarely arise from nothing. An angry employee who lashes out at a coffee maker has other motives than a simple dislike of an appliance. The same goes for the one who drags her feet and doesn't seem to be in a hurry, which can irritate her colleagues. Her lack of motivation stems from something that needs to be detected.
So, no longer being afraid of conflict can be very rich in lessons among leaders. They need to take a more open and empathetic approach and look at the dynamics in work teams. Generally, they will realize that sometimes frustration arises from certain practices or mismanagement of a situation. This page on cellular governance explains how the poorly announced reassignment of an employee created internal strife that had to be digested and resolved internally in stages. A very rewarding read to understand how to rebuild the social fabric when it has been damaged.
We may be little beasts of conflict but we are also capable of resolving them. Of course, there can be an irreconcilable situation leading to one of the protagonists leaving. However, this happens much more often when nothing is done by human resources. So always intervene when a dispute arises. However, it doesn't have to be immediately. Sometimes it's better to let emotions subside so that you can have an easier time in your role as mediator.
Whether it's face-to-face or telecommuting, you need to be alert to signals that indicate tension. Passive-aggressive remarks or a co-worker who seems to stop working with other team members are good indicators that something is wrong. The important thing is to get to the root of the conflict to find out what is really going on, what is causing the problem. Once this is recognized, it will be easier to listen to each person and to find a way for everyone to come out of it satisfied. Indeed, it is better to avoid having a "loser" in the story, which will cause even more resentment and possibly resignation. It may be difficult to satisfy each party 100%, but everything must be done to get as close to that end as possible. Working together with the protagonists will often be the best way to reach a compromise.
Afterwards, it will be essential to remotivate the team that will have inevitably been affected by the tension. Positive reinforcement and leaving the door open for everyone to listen to the situation can only be beneficial for everyone. If an entire group is plagued by feuds, a management could use these workshops offering employees to be authentic and say things genuinely so that they get resolved. All, however, without falling into blaming the other person and without judgment.
While conflict management is important among human resource managers, it is just as true for teachers. They have to manage children and teens who are experiencing strong emotions, sometimes without knowing how to name them. The tricks of the trade can then be used in teamwork issues. It is easier to resolve it by letting the students express themselves and finding a satisfactory solution track for everyone by getting to the heart of the nature of the dispute.
Now, in the school context, one more task is added since it will be necessary for the teacher to transmit practical behaviors in order to reduce conflicts. This can be through role playing, explaining feelings, active listening, etc.
The clear message technique can be very interesting especially with younger children. The teacher then teaches the children to express more calmly what they have experienced and to hear and understand the emotion of the other. When a schoolchild repeats disrespectful actions, it seems important to involve them by asking them what rule they are flouting and building on the qualities to find an alternative to yelling, ruminating or breaking materials to show their hurt or frustration.
By instilling this type of respectful, nonviolent communication, emotional recognition and empathetic listening early on, tomorrow's managers may not need to deal with conflicts in their work environment as much. Or these will be resolved much more quickly.
Photo credit: en.depositphotos.com
References:
"3 Workshops For Effective Conflict Management Within One's Team." DevOp. Last updated January 27, 2022.
https://www.devop.pro/3-ateliers-pour-une-gestion-des-conflits-efficace-au-sein-de-son-equipe.html.
Champ, Raphaële. "How to Manage Conflicts in a Team?" What The Franchise. Last updated September 28, 2022.
https://whatthefranchise.fr/articles/comment-gerer-les-conflits-dans-une-equipe/.
Charron, Catherine. "Conflict, Your Next Tool for Better Collaboration." LesAffaires.com. Last updated August 15, 2022.
https://www.lesaffaires.com/strategie-d-entreprise/management/le-conflit-votre-prochain-outil-pour-mieux-collaborer/635136.
Christin, Jean-Luc. "Interpersonal Conflict: Crossing It In Shared Governance." Cellular Governance. Last updated October 25, 2021.
https://gouvernancecellulaire.org/conflit-interpersonnel-gouvernance-partagee/.
"How to Resolve Irritants/Conflicts With Or Between Employees." School Of Business Leaders. Last updated December 1, 2021.
https://ecolechefsentreprises.ca/2021/11/09/comment-regler-des-irritants-conflits-avec-ou-entre-employes%E2%80%A8/.
Goudet, Stephane. "The clear message, a powerful tool for managing student conflict." C.P.E Et Vie Scolaire. Last updated February 18, 2022.
https://cpe.ac-dijon.fr/spip.php?article1166.
Gril, Emmanuelle. "Bien Identifier Et Gérer Les Conflits Dans Une équipe." Revue Gestion HEC Montréal. Last updated August 19, 2022.
https://www.revuegestion.ca/bien-identifier-et-gerer-les-conflits-dans-une-equipe.
Ibach, Christelle. "5 Strategies To Defuse And Resolve A Conflict." Executive & Leadership Magazine. Last updated January 31, 2022.
https://www.cadre-dirigeant-magazine.com/manager/5-strategies-resoudre-conflit/.
"Techniques for Managing Conflict at Work." Time To Pitch. Last updated September 26, 2022. h
ttps://www.timetopitch.com/post/les-techniques-de-gestion-des-conflits-au-travail.
Obrecht, Nelly. "6 Tips To Prevent And Defuse Conflict In A Remote Team." HelloWork. Last updated October 26, 2021.
https://www.hellowork.com/fr-fr/medias/conflit-equipe-distance.html.
Patry, Philippe. "How Unmanaged Conflict Leads to Financial Hardship." Global Mindful Solutions. Last updated February 3, 2022.
https://globalmindfulsolutions.com/fr/le-cout-des-conflits-non-resolus/.
Poitras, Jean, and Emmanuelle Gril. "Tension In Teams : Comment Intervenir?" Revue Gestion HEC Montréal. Last updated: December 31, 2021.
https://www.revuegestion.ca/tension-dans-les-equipes-comment-intervenir.
"Effective Classroom Conflict Management Strategies." Teach Well. Last updated February 10, 2021.
https://www.bienenseigner.com/strategies-efficaces-de-resolution-des-conflits-en-classe/.
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