What are the best ways to handle conflicts with employees who report to you?

I recently resolved a conflict by scheduling a meeting with both parties and listening to them express their grievances, communication was the issue and both parties came to a resolution to do better and communicate more promptly for efficient workflow.

The best way to identify the source is to ask your colleague an open question. The important thing is to distance yourself from personal beliefs and remove all possible emotions from the tone of your question. Just pure curiosity to find real reasoning.

Conflicts in these times are more commonplace than ever. From the most frivolous reason to a genuine concern, conflicts are wide spread. *Whatever the nature and extent, key is to find the 'why' through an honest face to face dialogue. *Approach the situation with an unbiased and open mind without any prior judgement or viewpoints. *Listen impartially to both sides and then evaluate the actions through the lense of laid SOPs or best practices. *Always look to find a middle path one that resolves the conflict, or at least addresses it exists. *Call spade a spade (if it comes to that), and set clear expectations about the future course of action. *Be compassionate, understanding, and non-judgemental.

It's also wise to keep an open mind when looking for sources as bias can make the process and the solution found later to be tedious and insufficient.

In my experience, fostering open communication is key when addressing conflicts with team members. Actively listening to their concerns, acknowledging perspectives, and collaboratively finding solutions not only resolves issues but also strengthens the team dynamic. Creating a culture where "constructive" feedback is valued goes a long way in preventing conflicts and promoting a positive work environment.

Your team is your biggest strength. Without a good team, you cannot win. Hence its important to be a team person, a leader, an enabler and above all.. A Friend when needed. 1) A team is like a palm where all the fingers are different in terms of style, performance, temperament, ethics, experience, weaknesses & strengths 2) in case of a conflict - understand the story of all parties involved. 3) you are there to resolve the situation and make it a win-win for all, instead of collapsing the entire thing 4) being open minded works. Listen and understand, make comments where needed, remain silent where needed and try to bring the positive while giving feedback 5) avoid harsh words at the time of resolving an issue

Pour gérer efficacement les conflits avec vos employés, il est crucial de faire preuve d'empathie et de comprendre leur point de vue, ce qui peut grandement aider à trouver un terrain d'entente, même si vous n'êtes pas nécessairement d'accord. Travailler ensemble pour trouver des solutions qui bénéficient à toutes les parties est essentiel ; cela peut nécessiter des compromis ou des ajustements de part et d'autre. Si la situation devient trop chargée émotionnellement, n'hésitez pas à proposer une pause. Prendre un moment pour se calmer peut faciliter des discussions plus constructives et empêcher l'escalade des tensions.

Adaptability: it is important to understand that each conflict is unique and demands a tailored approach. Depending on the situation, it is best to adapt strategies, whether it's mediation, coaching, or facilitating a collaborative resolution process.

I would develop a strategy with my team. They were not hired alone. As a group they were decided upon for their skills. Therefore, I would trust them to develop a strategy.

Una buena solución requiere de todas las partes y no siempre se cuenta con la disposición de los involucrados para lograrlo. Pero esto no quiere decir que no existan alternativas, en el diálogo siempre encontraremos recursos pero es necesario cuidar que el automático, este que como lo dice Mariano Sigman nos conduce a responder de forma -automática- a problemas complejos con la información escasa que tenemos en mente. Una recomendación muy general para lograr una conversación sería: - Revisar que tengo la disposición para hacerlo - Conectar con la intensión de construír - Apagar la necesidad de tener siempre la razón -Saber escuchar para procesar y dialogar La lista es más amplia, pero por ahora con estos cuatro elementos hay suficiente .

Asertividad siempre, denota honestidad y liderazgo, no obstante hay que vigilar no pisar la línea de la falta de respeto disfrazándola de una asertividad mal entendida.

The key is really being transparent and objective. Go through the timeline/scenarios/perspectives and address your employees' fears and concerns. Explain to him/her coming from different angles, if needed, and then look for options to resolve the conflict (or at least to reduce frictions between employees). It'll take time to rebuild trust and confidence. As a manager, you must follow through and make a commitment to change. In this case, over-commumunication is better than not.

How you communicate about potential conflict is of the utmost importance. The key is to maintain a neutral position through the discussion. Some people may get defensive and start accusing you or others of behaviors. You don’t want your tone or communication approach to respond in-kind, though. Remain respectful and constructive and keep the conversation about the person you’re dealing with and/or yourself as much as possible. Bringing others into the mix can only create more problems. You can also approach the situation curiously asking questions like “help me understand…” or “I’m curious why…”. Putting yourself in a position to be educated by the individual helps disarm them to explain actions rather than defend personal beliefs.

The most important aspect of communicating respectfully during a conflict is to listen, breathe, make eye contact by softening the gaze, nod, and have a neutral expression. Please try your hardest not to get emotionally triggered. After listening to the other for a respectable amount of time to 'feel' into the problem, respond. If they interrupt, remind them that you have been respectful to them, now it is their turn to listen and then lay it out; be open, be concise, be yourself by being truthful to your values, and be honest. Again, keep emotions out of the discussion by being factual. At the end to indicate you've finished, be quiet, listen again, and so on until both of you feel seen and heard and ready to part ways with clarity.

Respectful Dialogue: I believe in maintaining a respectful and constructive tone during discussions. Encouraging open communication and mutual respect helps in diffusing tension and fostering a conducive environment for resolution.

Here's a personal example of generation and evaluating options: I had a direct report obsessed with 'creative freedom,' and she continued to miss deadlines. In our 1:1, I said, "Define this 'creative freedom.' Let's figure out how you can have it without blowing deadlines." We brainstormed. No idea was too wild. Weighed each option—what's doable, what's not. The goal? Find a middle ground, satisfying her creativity and our deadlines. It’s about being real, open, and getting to a solution that works for everyone. That's how you handle conflict and keep things moving.

Providing options is the most powerful tool in your tool kit. It provides an environment of shared respect and responsibility. Plus it practices active listening and gives the employee a sense of control and input. The steps are: 1. Acknowledge the conflict, point of pain, feeling. 2. Politely push back with facts and/or company policy. 3. Provide multiple options to resolve current conflict and avoid in the future. 4. Have the employee select the option.

Creating an environment that fosters creativity and open discussion helps generate a range of solutions. It's essential not to discard any idea too quickly—each option might hold merit. Evaluating these solutions by considering feasibility, impact, and acceptability aids in identifying the best resolution that aligns with everyone's needs and organizational goals. Seeking a consensus ensures a solution that satisfies both parties involved.

Collaborative Solutions: I encourage employees to actively participate in generating solutions. By fostering a collaborative environment, we explore various options together and evaluate their feasibility and impact.

Al punto de generación de alternativas solo podemos llegar cuándo la disposición de todas las partes está sobre la mesa. He visto en diversas oportunidades como grandes soluciones se pierden por entregarlas en el momento menos oportuno, desconociendo por completo el contexto y en buena parte de los casos guiados por el afán de salir del problema y no de resolver realmente la situación. Y a la pregunta de si ?existen maneras para saber si todos estamos en la misma página? mi respuesta sencilla sería : si lo confirmamos y ratificamos , es posible. Para estar seguros el mejor camino es indagar para ver que nuestras ideas coincidan, que estemos en el mismo lugar de comprensión y de interpretación.

Consistent Follow-Up: After a resolution is agreed upon, I ensure follow-up to track progress. This involves offering support, providing resources if needed, and checking in to ensure the implemented solution is effective.

A la implementación debemos sumarle la relevancia de mantener lo acordado, de no fallar por inconsistencia o por falta de coherencia. ?Te ha pasado que haces un acuerdo y de un momento a otro las condiciones cambian? Desafortunadamente ocurre con más frecuencia de lo que nos gustaría y por esta razón es esencial ver que nuestros actos permanezcan alineados con lo pactado y que si se presentan situaciones que exijan cambios estos se dialoguen para mantener la transparencia y la confianza. Si la recomendación te suena extra?a ayudo con un ejemplo que te va a conectar desde la memoria y la emoción ?Qué pasa cuándo adquieres un producto o servicio con la certeza de lo que vas a recibir y al poco tiempo te das cuenta que no es lo que esperabas?

Following-up with the team or the concerned individuals is a great thing. If they are facing any further issues, you will get to know that. This also strengthens the relationship among the peers.

Most of employees believe only tech guys, project managers or who might be interested in workflow should use the daily tools to monitor progress, but they don’t believe it’s a concept more than a tool, top achievers always monitoring their behavior, development progress, what’s next, tech updates,…etc…being always ready is a mindset more than a 9-5 working hours.

Its also nice to ensure standards of communication and dealing with future conflict. This will be beneficial to the organization and the process.

Conflict can be a chance for growth. Reflecting on its cause and resolution helps identify what strategies succeeded and what could be improved. Sharing these insights with your team fosters an environment of open communication and learning. Seeking their input reinforces collaboration and sets clear expectations for future interactions. Building trust, showing respect, and reinforcing positive norms creates a supportive and constructive workplace, ultimately strengthening relationships with employees.

When addressing employee conflicts, it is important to go beyond simply resolving the immediate issue. It is crucial to consider how to prevent similar conflicts from occurring in the future. This entails establishing a prevention plan that focuses on identifying the root causes of the conflict and implementing strategies to mitigate them. This proactive approach helps create a harmonious work environment by promoting open communication, fostering understanding, and providing tools for conflict resolution. By investing in prevention, organizations can significantly reduce the likelihood of future conflicts and improve overall employee morale and productivity.

Proactive Measures: To prevent recurring conflicts, I analyze patterns and implement proactive measures. This could involve training programs, team-building activities, or establishing clearer communication channels.

The important thing about conflict is to take yourself out of it and your feelings - it’s about coming to a mutually beneficial resolution where both parties feel like they are winning. That involves active listening and then asking better questions (e.g., why is that point important to you? What if we did this would it meet your goal?)

One of the most forgotten things in today’s business world is remembering diversity of thought. Many people managers do exactly opposite of what they should be doing by hiring people who think just like them, when in reality hiring purposely for those that don’t think like them should be a huge importance to round out they team. Doing this will help ensure teams are seeing around the corners and able to fill in gaps they don’t even know they have.

Be direct and use examples to provide feedback. Examples allow you to focus on specifics vs being generic. Handle the situation as early as possible vs waiting on it. No one likes conflicts but as a leader it is our job to build a culture where we create a safe space to have tough conversations.

When I was younger, I worked with someone who exemplified servant leadership. I noticed in conflicts, that he was focused on his role - not what the other person could or should change. He recognized his position gave him an edge but was humble and it was authentic. When we approach conflict with an aim to change, it levels the playing field between both parties making resolution more likely.

Also helps to know each others personality profiles and understand how God made us unique and different. A team needs multiple personalities to fill in each others gaps.