Nurturing Positive Behaviors: A fresh Approach to Conflict Resolution

In our quest for excellence, we often encounter workplace conflicts. Conflict resolution training is a vital investment for any organization aiming to cultivate a positive and productive work environment. While conflict resolution training is valuable, an article I recently ran across implied that conflict resolution training is essential to build team collaboration. I am not sure I agree. Here's why.

We often engage conflict training so our team members can learn to be more empathetic, know the importance of active listening, seek solutions where everyone gets a slice of the pie, and solve problems together. Jumping right into this seems a bit like jumping to a conclusion without considering the cause.

Don't get me wrong... all of that is necessary but what if we create a culture that believes conflict is necessary to get to the best conclusions... therefore addresses other areas before conflict resolution?        

What if our first step began in a place of curiosity instead of a place of understanding? We then could start by asking questions like, have we properly communicated what our successful teams look like? Does our team know how to cultivate the behaviors of a successful team? Can we articulate how those team members feel when working cohesively? I would go out on a ledge to say... we often assume the answer is yes but often times the answer is no.

Our goal is to work on interpersonal relationships and ensure the team understands what a high functioning team does for our success. Instead of conflict resolution training, let’s take a step back and focus on fostering positive behaviors. By nurturing open dialogue, active listening, and empathy, we lay the groundwork for effective collaboration.

Keep reading for ideas about how your HR department can work with leadership throughout the company... leveraging kindness and compassion.

The Power of Storytelling and Norms

Need a starting point to turn your ship around? Start with onboarding. At Fitlife, we believe in respect for humanity. Our onboarding process reflects this ethos. Instead of dry manuals, we’ve curated engaging videos that showcase our core values in action. By appealing to emotions, we ensure our messaging sticks with new hires.

But beyond onboarding, we emphasize trust and the Golden Rule: ‘Treat others how you want to be treated.’ Shift from criticism to constructive feedback. You have to dial into your culture and start sharing the stories of how success is achieved within your walls.

Connect through storytelling, share successful tips, and prepare specific feedback for coaching sessions fosters growth together.

But there's more. We lead with gratitude. Every. Single. Day.

Gratitude: A Game-Changer

In our daily interactions, gratitude plays a pivotal role. When faced with uncertainty, default to gratitude. It grounds us, reminds us of our tribe, and fuels resilience—even in stressful moments. At work, showing up with gratitude builds trust and strengthens connections.

In fact, gratitude is one of our core values. At Fitlife, we recognize others who embody gratitude with our vision and values card. Each person who receives one of these cards is entered into a drawing for other prizes on a routine basis.

It's this process that reinforces the habits we want to see flourish and it reminds our team why they love working here.

The Courage to Seek Help

Admitting vulnerability is powerful.

I have a silver ring I wear on my right ring finger. Engraved on it is the word, surrender. I wear this as a reminder to "let that sh*t go" when things get tense. It's impossible to change the way other people react but I can control how I react.

Do I like to ask for help... no. Do I reach out when I am stuck, yes. Why? Because I step back and reflect on how I can let go of control of a situation to find the greater good and tie that feeling to a physical act. Spinning my ring on my figure give me a physical outlet for my nervous energy.

Ask for help, admit mistakes, and allow others to be right. This courage is contagious. When leadership seeks input from all levels, trust flourishes.

Challenging Stereotypes

We live in a world that highly values diversity and inclusion in the workplace. To some, accomplishing this in the workplace may feel like an daunting task, but encouraging our team members to lead with understanding and empathy is invaluable. Language matters. Words can act as swords.

But words don't have to be swords. Normalize a culture that is unafraid to call out bad behavior, enforce boundaries, and empower each other.

Together, we break down stereotypes.

Creativity in HR Operations

How do I wrap all of that together to impact change? I think like an operations expert that happens to be good at HR. I leverage business acumen to drive profits. As a group, we anticipate pain points and foster creativity to exceed expectations.

My goal? Create enough value to at least pay for my position each fiscal year.

HR is evolving. We are no longer just the administration support who polices the workplace.

Our executive chef gave me a great compliment shortly after I started working at Fitlife. He told me I am the first HR person he did not have listed as internal affairs in his phone. This was a huge compliment because that is exactly what I am trying to accomplish... an environment where people lean on HR for strategic support and thought partnering... not to be the office police.

Effective Technology and Communication

It doesn't matter where you work.  We live in a world that revolves around the latest and greatest technology.  HR teams have to embrace the fact that our employees expect us to leverage technology to make their jobs more fulfilling, improve cross functional communication and give near immediate feedback.         

There does have to be strategy around this. Consider what problems need to be solved? Consider how well the vendor can support your business throughout your relationship. Will the technology integrate with our existing tools?

Choose tools aligned with your team’s needs. Train employees effectively. Tailor communication programs.

Remember, it’s not just about tools—it’s about understanding, adapting, and collaborating.

Cultivating Resilience

At the end of the day, instead of preparing for conflict, change your perspective to cultivating resilience.

When we approach dysfunctions as manageable situations that can be coached through, we build resilient teams. The reason why books like The Five Disfunctions of a Team are so successful is that they are timeless, apply to many industries, and they promote acceptance around the fact that teams are not always going to be highly functioning.

The fact of the matter remains that strong communication (often through storytelling) mixed with creativity and a strong focus on gratitude is a great path to success, even in the face of temporary setbacks. What matters is how you react to improve cohesion not how you react to conflict.

At Fitlife, we embrace setbacks. They’re stepping stones to growth. Trusting relationships allow us to learn, adapt, and thrive. It's not that conflict doesn't happen, it's we have normalized it as a byproduct of working towards solution.

As an HR Director, I see conflicts as growth opportunities. Solutions over blame. Active listening and empathy. Conflict holds potential—it’s all about perspective. This is what works for us.

What works for your organization? Share your thoughts in the comments.

#wellbeing #bethechange #resilience

#bettertogether

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