Constructive disagreement can add value, as employees compromise and reach better decisions based on input from others.
Conflict becomes destructive when anger, jealousy, and other strong emotions turn the focus away from problem solving and toward personal attacks. Destructive conflict can ruin relationships among workers, interfere with productivity, destroy teamwork, and contribute to employee absenteeism and turnover.
While acknowledging common sources of conflict, this entertaining video provides eight specific, reliable solutions: skills that help you put aside your differences, control your emotions, and move forward.
Learn these solutions:
~ Responding with empathy
~ Active listening
~ Setting a limit
~ Finding something to agree with
~ Using "I" language instead of "You" language
~ Disengaging to cool off
~ Appealing to mutual self-interest
~ Attacking the problem, not the person
Now, it is true that there are many things you CAN'T control when you are dealing with your coworkers or colleagues. But there are skills you can learn to keep disagreements constructive and resolve conflicts in a positive way. The most important thing to keep in mind is that resolving conflict is not about one person proving the other person wrong. Resolving conflict is about working WITH the other person to solve the problem and maintain the relationship.
Bottom line: there will always be conflict. The secret is learning to manage it successfully. Doing so empowers you to take control of your life - and career.
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