Your business operations team is facing conflict. How can emotional intelligence help resolve it?

In my view - attentive listening - empathy are the key conflict avoidance practices as a manager. However if a conflict arise: - mediation - coaching are few methods to resolve.

First accept all people in conflict come from different back grounds and walks of life. Emphatetically listen, understand everyone's point of view, acknowledge they have been listened to. This solves half the conflict itself.

Emotional intelligence is more than just a buzzword; it's the foundation of a thriving team. As someone who has navigated business operations, freelance leadership, and community outreach, I’ve learned that mastering emotional intelligence is essential. Self-awareness allows us to understand how our emotions affect others. Self-regulation helps control our responses under pressure. Motivation drives us to persevere, empathy fosters trust, and social skills turn individual talents into collective success. In any team, these skills are must-haves to turn challenges into growth opportunities.

Assuming the organization has core values that everyone understands, and are working to meet, maintain and preserve those values; then facilitate conversations. Often issues are only symptoms of a problem, not the problem itself. Through those conversations there will discovery of the source of malaise within the team, and more collaboration to work on improvement. I first mentioned core values because those conversations should at least start with everyone aiming to work within them, and a genuine goal to uphold. Not attributing fault to one another.

Good rapport, empathy, listening, good environment and your ability to balance your emotional needs can help to prevent business conflicts.

It’s not just about noticing what’s said or done, but understanding the emotional responses behind those actions. By tuning into these emotional undercurrents, I’ve been able to step in before conflicts escalate. This proactive approach fosters a harmonious work environment, where team members feel heard, valued, and supported—turning potential disputes into opportunities for growth.

Conflict in your operations team? Start by recognizing triggers. Emotional intelligence isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessity. - Identify what sparks emotional reactions. - Understand the underlying reasons. - Address the root cause before it escalates. By honing in on these triggers, I’ve seen teams turn tension into teamwork. It’s the first step to creating a more harmonious and productive environment.

We're talking about deescalation here — and recognizing triggers is just one step (of many) to de-escalate a conflict. I've found that during conflict remaining curious and ?????????????? ?????? ?????????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????????? is helpful for a few reasons: 1) They feel you're listening to them (and understood) when you help them label their emotions driving the conflict. 2) You put yourself in their shoes to see their perspective and sit with them in their emotions 3) The conversation turns from you versus me issue, to an us versus the issue conversations. Once the other person feels they are heard, their emotions are acknowledged and accepted, you can propose offering your side of what occurred.

Actualmente las relaciones laborales no pueden limitarse a un entorno profesional, hay que conocer a nuestros colaboradores desde un entorno mas humano, entendiendo y respetando su individualidad e identidad personal, este principio básico de respeto permite a los lideres identificar la personalidad de cada uno de ellos y prevenir enfrentamientos. Es importante entender que los tiempos han cambiado y la gestión de equipos de trabajo debe enfocarse en entender primero a las persona y después al profesional.

When team members feel genuinely heard, they’re more open to dialogue and less defensive. By focusing on feelings and needs rather than accusations, we create a collaborative environment that defuses tension and turns conflicts into growth opportunities. As managers, we often pride ourselves on viewing problems from the perspective of customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Yet, it’s equally important to approach issues with an understanding of our employees' perspectives. After all, they’re the ones on the ground, experiencing the challenges firsthand. By actively listening to and empathizing with our teams, we can address conflicts more effectively and foster a work culture that values and respects every voice.

When conflict arises, communication is key. But it’s not just about talking—it's about effective communication through emotional intelligence. - Listen to understand, not just to respond. - Speak with clarity and compassion. - Address issues, not individuals. I’ve found that clear, empathetic communication is the bridge between conflict and resolution. It’s how I keep operations running smoothly.

La comunicación es uno de los temas que se vuelve mas complicado para muchos lideres, sin embargo es la herramienta ideal para resolver conflictos en un entorno laboral, el aprender a escuchar de manera activa, sin interrupciones es el principio de una verdadera conciliación. La importancia de escuchar a mi equipo de trabajo, de respetar sus opiniones y sobre todo de exponer mis ideas de manera clara y respetuosa son el camino adecuado para resolver cualquier conflicto.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is like a thermostat. Instead of letting the room overheat with tension or cool down with avoidance, EQ maintains a constructive atmosphere where problems can be solved calmly. That requires: - authenticity in how we communicate as a team, - self-awareness to keep our own egos in check, - curiosity to understand what’s driving different opinions. When harnessed effectively, conflict can turbo-charge a team's success by pointing to opportunities to co-create better solutions and pursue new opportunities.

In my Intercultural communication class, I came across the word empathy. Initially, I didn't know a single thing about this, but at the end of the class, I was crystal clear about how empathy helps us in a Business operating environment. Empathy allows team members to see the conflict from different viewpoints, fostering a more respectful and understanding atmosphere. By actively listening to others, team members can better understand their concerns and needs. Of course, you shouldn't keep agreeing to all things your team members do or say as it can lead to further complications and issues won't be resolved.

By putting yourself in your team members' shoes, you gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives and actions. You don’t have to agree, but validating their feelings can ease tension and create a more amicable environment. When people feel understood, they’re more likely to compromise and cooperate. The principle that "love covers a multitude of sins" and "love your neighbour as yourself," we see that approaching correction from a place of genuine care rather than criticism is crucial. When you approach issues with the intent to uplift & improve, empathy comes naturally. However, if the approach is driven by a lack of concern for the other person’s well-being, your response will likely lack empathy to resolve the conflict effectively.

Empathy is the secret sauce in conflict resolution. It’s not about agreeing with everyone; it’s about understanding them. - Put yourself in their shoes. - Validate their feelings, even if you don’t agree. - Foster a culture of understanding and respect. In my experience, empathy transforms conflict into collaboration. It’s the foundation for a strong, united team.

Un líder con alta inteligencia emocional puede ponerse en el lugar de sus colaboradores, lo que le ayuda a entender sus preocupaciones, motivaciones y necesidades. Esto puede mejorar la comunicación y la confianza dentro del equipo. Es importante que esta empatía se vaya trabajando todos los días, no solo cuando hay conflictos, es decir el Líder debe ser empático en todo momento con su equipo de trabajo para que esta actitud sea genuina y logre con esto la confianza de su personal.

Conflict is a challenge. It could be a misunderstanding or a real issue Steps to resolve conflicts: 1. Listen to both the parties involved in the conflict. 2. Do the root cause analysis. Get to the root of the issue. 3. If it's misunderstanding inform both the parties and take this as lesson and take further steps that it doesn't happen in future. 4. If one party is at fault. Inform both the parties the output of the analysis. Further see if the fault was done intentionally take strict action. If it was done unintentionally take it as a lesson. Take further steps so that it doesn't happen in future. Everything needs to be recorded so that it can be referred in future projects.

Create a neutral space for discussions to ensure the focus remains on solving the issue, not winning an argument. Encourage team members to express their emotions and needs clearly, without fear of sharing and casting blame. This approach fosters constructive interactions and paves the way for solutions that everyone can support, turning conflicts into opportunities for growth and better team cohesion.

Primer punto para poder resolver un conflicto es dejar claro que lejos de buscar culpables, se esta buscando resolver el problema, para ello el Líder debe escuchar a las partes involucradas y dejar a un lado cualquier sentimentalismo para resolver de la mejor manera la problemática presentada. El segundo punto es concientizar a todos que las decisiones derivadas de la solución del conflicto son de carácter profesional y que nada tiene que ver con aspectos personales o particulares, el Líder debe siempre tomar la decisión que sea la mejor para la compa?ía.

After a conflict is resolved, whether it be professional relationships or personal friendships (many times the workplace has both at the same time with the same person), you have to close the loop. What does that look like? 1) ???????? ?????? ???????????? ?????? — through conflict there is a resolution (big or small); and it's best to find the win that you both can share from the resolution (even if the win is getting through the conflict in one piece). 2) ???????????????? ?? ?????????????????????????? — no one handles conflict perfectly, and sometimes there is emotional residue. If you feel there is residue or feedback you'd like to communicate, propose a retrospective to reflect on how both people can show up better next time.