Conflicts are prompt to arise anywhere people are interacting. People’s opinions are different and maybe miscommunications and misunderstandings may occur. People’s values and priorities vary and most people do not embrace change. All these factors lead to conflict at home, social events and work places. Being involved in a conflict is a plain reality of life and thus having a conflict is not a problem ( Flynn, 2015) . However, the problem comes on how people try to deal or solve a conflict. One can learn and master effective conflict management tactics. Effective communication is the key to workplace conflict resolution and creation of a harmonious working environment.
As mentioned above it is a simple fact of life to be caught up in a conflict at one point or the other of one’s career and am not an exception. I was involved in a conflict with one of my coworkers. The conflict occurred due to our unwillingness to cooperate with each other. I needed someone to help me handle a patient because I was not in a position to do it myself. My colleague refused to help me and in my understanding she was not that much occupied. This aroused an argument and we stopped talking for some time. This could not go on as we usually worked on the same shift so we had to swallow our pride and mend things.
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I made the first move and requested if we could meet and talk since we had to put aside our ego and listen to each other to make it work. My friend, we could call her Jane, suggested that we meet up somewhere outside the working place so as we could be more free talking. She believed a change of environment would be good which turned out to be true. We meet over at a restaurant near our workplace and we talked through by incorporating listening, dialogue and respect as tactics of coping with our misunderstanding. By the time we were done with coffee we had solved our issue and our relationship was back to normal if not to say even stronger after a few days.
To ensure that the conflict is successfully solved, the involved parties need to establish effective communication as they try to solve the conflict. First and foremost, the atmosphere of the discussion needs to be accommodative to ensure effectiveness of communication while resolving a conflict (Fusion, 2017) . The discussion time should be set when both parties are okay, the tempers have subsidized and they have had time to explore on how to approach the conflict. It is always advisable not to discuss any kind of work-related issues in the presence of fellow workers.
While trying to resolve a conflict with a coworker always pay attention on how you incorporate non-verbal communication (Fusion, 2017) . This is because non-verbal communication has the potential to either make or break all efforts made towards resolving the conflict. Even without talking, some message will be passed on to the other party when one gives a coworker a cold shoulder, clenches their jaw or rolls their eyes. Thus it is important for the parties involved to maintain a steady eye contact, steady tone of voice, an upright posture and utilize gestures appropriately during a conflict. Some non-verbal communication techniques yield positive results for instance, giving your colleague a reassuring touch on the arm as well as some empathetic facial expressions. But still one need not to overdo it.
One has to listen actively to their colleague while resolving a conflict in order to effectively manage the conflict. One needs to show their willingness to listen to their coworker’s concerns ( Flynn, 2015) . This can be achieved by displaying an interest to the discussion through maintaining eye contact, asking sensible and calm questions and nodding in agreement. Though one may not agree with everything that their colleague will say always look for points you agree with and support their opinions. To show that you understand, one could always paraphrase the main points of the speaker. This will show your colleague that you are listening to him.
To ensure an effective communication during a conflict resolution discussion, the involved parties need to focus on the I-Statements (Fusion, 2017) . These statements are among the best communication strategies to utilize during a conflict. Always avoid statements that might seem as if you are criticizing your coworker and place him in a limelight. Putting forth comments that are more of critics will most probably escalate the conflict. These comments include saying things such as “you never…”, “you always…”, “I hate when you…”, “you are so…”, to mention but a few. Instead of using such statements one could always trying to use less strong statements that would be taken positively. One could incorporate the following statements to lessen the tension; “I feel unimportant when…”, “I feel disappointed when…”. The involved parties should also do their best to take responsibilities for their feelings. They should also incorporate questions such as “Where do we proceed from here?” to go back on track.
It is always advisable to discuss the problem face-to face other than through other means like through email or via texts ( Flynn, 2015) . Trying to solve an issue via text or email proves to be inefficient and can lead to making the situation worse than it was before. This is because it is usually easy to misinterpret someone’s words and thoughts if they are not accompanied by some facial expressions and tone of voice. This is usually the case when both parties are feeling defensive so it’s important to talk in person if at all you want to resolve the conflict amicably.
When having a discussion with your colleague aiming at solving a conflict you had it is always wise to remain calm when your turn to speak comes ( Flynn, 2015) . One should try their best to be collected and keep their emotions and tempers on check. This will also help keep your reputation on a good note and people will not be saying you are hand to work with.
In conclusion it is always important to understand all your colleagues because we are all different from each other. This will help one know the limits they can reach with a particular person. By understanding your coworkers, you will know who to detach from to avoid a lot of issues in the workplace and so on. Last but not the least everyone needs to learn effective communication strategies that will help them in case they are caught up by a conflict and this will result into a more manageable workplace.
References
Fusion, J. (2017, November 21). Effective Communication During a Conflict. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/effective-communication-during-conflict-821.html
Flynn, C. (2015, September 18). How to Handle a Conflict with A Coworker? Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/articles/103025-8-ways-to-handle-a-conflict-with-a-coworker
