Part of your career management needs to be dealing with conflict at work. So resolving conflicts in the workplace is the topic of today’s article on Your Career Service.
Because you work in an environment that’s often lean and mean, things often get – mean. And conflicts in the workplace can be a fact of life. That’s why many companies emphasize conflict resolution — buzzwords meaning ways to help you and your fellow workers get along better by resolving frictions.
Resolving conflicts at work
When tempers flair, there are many methods you can use to handle conflict resolution. One of them, a simple technique to apply at work or home, is called the ECA Formula – Express yourself honestly, Communicate, and Compromise.
Express yourself honestly
Sometimes you get anxious about expressing difficult feelings openly because you’re afraid others won’t like what you say. But suppressing feelings can make you tense and filled with resentment. So you need to take the next step.
Communicate
Communicating means active listening. Although this might feel counterintuitive, communicating is listening. So you need to communicate by first listening to your colleague’s words. And then repeat them back in your own words to make sure you understand the message. When expressing your position, avoid accusing your co-worker. Instead of using the word you – as in “you hurt me” – say, “I felt hurt.” Then….
Compromise
When it comes to avoiding conflict at work, your goal needs to be getting along with others, not winning arguments. The next time you observe conflict on the job, ask yourself this question: “How can this discord be resolved so both of us feel good?”
To handle conflicts in the workplace it isn’t always easy. With practice, however, you’ll learn how to improve relationships at home and at work.