Handling Conflict with Confidence
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Here’s an insightful excerpt shared by Monte Pedersen about “Difficult Team Members”.
Leading difficult team members can and will always be challenging yet essential to effective leadership.?
When faced with team members who are resistant, unmotivated, or have conflicting personalities, we must do our best to create a positive and productive work environment.
Here's what we recommend:
To start, how is your relationship with the difficult team member??
You must build a relationship with them to create trust and respect, which can lead to understanding the underlying reasons behind their problematic behavior. If you can't privately address and carefully discuss the issue, you'll never receive their trust.
You need to know if they're struggling with personal issues, lacking clarity in their job, or feeling undervalued. Engage them in open and empathetic communication, pulling back the curtain on the challenges and enabling a conversation to access constructive solutions.
Next, collaboratively set clear expectations (daily responsibilities) and goals to give them a solid sense of direction. ?
When everyone knows the expectations, it minimizes ambiguity and reduces potential points of contention.?
Last, address any conflicts promptly and privately. Open dialogues can help resolve misunderstandings and facilitate compromises. Recognize and appreciate their contributions, maintain a positive attitude with them, and work to inspire them.
Still, be prepared to take decisive action if the problematic behavior persists and negatively impacts the team or its' performance.?
By understanding a team member's perspective, setting clear expectations, and addressing any conflicts proactively, you can transform challenges into opportunities helping to build stronger and lasting relationships.
Another gem shared by Powrsuit about “Getting Comfortable With Conflict”.
"Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means" - Ronald Reagan
When you never disagree, everything feels like conflict.
Managing difficult dynamics, different opinions, and direct feedback can be really hard when you’ve been conditioned to Keep Calm and Carry On. And this fear of conflict isn’t reserved for the big stuff. When sending back a burnt coffee meets your threshold for ‘confrontational’, differing opinions can easily feel like personal attacks. Cue: unhelpful conflict-avoidance tactics to keep the ‘peace’; things like silent resistance, passive aggression and venting to everyone but the person involved.
Conflict is critical to performance.
Leaders need to understand the difference between personal and professional conflict. We need to lean into the latter, not in heated exchanges but in regular, everyday discussions.?
Why??
Diverse leadership teams outperform on virtually every business measure. That performance boost comes from the healthy conflict of diverse perspectives, a benefit that dissipates when those at the table choose not to engage.
When we're challenged, we catch oversights and spot unintended consequences. We add depth to shared knowledge, foster more robust decisions, and drive better outcomes.?
Practice voicing your dissent.
After a lifetime in peacekeeping, many of us need to practice disagreement, simply to get comfortable with it. While it might not be wise to pick a political fight at your next family dinner, there are plenty of opportunities to practice conflict in inconsequential scenarios. Gather around a group of trusted friends and give debating a whirl.
Here’s another insightful excerpt shared by Wisdom Made Easy on about the “3-Steps to Managing Your Emotions”.
Work can sometimes feel like navigating stormy seas - emails flooding in, tension brewing in meetings, and that one colleague who always knows how to stir the pot.
It’s no wonder emotions run high!
But instead of letting stress capsize your day, why not steer through the waves like a seasoned captain?
The Curious Voyager Mindset technique is a 3-step process, designed to help you:
1. Feel your emotions up close
2. Actively release them
3. Take a step back to reflect on them
By doing so, you can transform strong emotions into an opportunity for self-awareness while keeping your ship steady.
Step 1: Feel Your Emotions (Up Close)
Let’s face it - avoiding emotions at work is like trying to ignore storm clouds on the horizon.
Instead, take 90 seconds to feel what you’re experiencing.
Perhaps you’re frustrated because a project didn’t go as planned.
Whatever emotions are surfacing for you, allow yourself to feel them without judgment.
This moment of honesty with yourself is key to preventing those emotions from festering inside of you.
Step 2: Release the Emotion
After weathering the initial emotional storm, it’s time to let it go.
Find a technique that works best for you—a quick doodle, a brisk walk, or even a few deep breaths can work wonders.
The goal is to let the emotions flow out of you, like waves retreating after high tide, preventing them from building into a dangerous swell.
Step 3: Examine Your Emotions (from a Distance)
Now that the storm has passed, it’s time to take a step back and reflect on your emotions.
Take a few moments to think about what triggered the emotions. Maybe there’s a pattern you’re noticing?
By examining your emotions from a distance, you can gain insights into your reactions and develop strategies for handling similar situations in the future.
It’s like charting a course for smoother sailing next time around.
By practicing the Curious Voyager Mindset technique, you empower yourself to turn potential breakdowns into breakthroughs. Imagine sailing through your day knowing that you can regain your sense of calm, no matter what comes your way.
Free Resource Pack for Leaders
Enjoy your FREE RESOURCE PACK with tools and strategies for self-improvement or to share with your teams.?
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That’s a wrap on this week.
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