Jim is a upper-level manager who directs a team of engineers at a tech company. Two of his engineers, Sarah and Michael, had been feuding for months, but Jim ignored the issue, thinking it would eventually resolve itself. “They are professionals,” Jim thought. “They will figure it out.” They did not. The tension between the two engineers continued to escalate.…
Regardless of the outcome of the election (and 2020 as a whole), we will get through this. But we need to find a way to keep a level head as individuals and support one another as a community.
Last week, we talked about the holidays and potential conflict that may arise. As we enter the new year, here are the steps you can take to begin moving toward healthy conflict reconciliation: • Start soon. Waiting only drives the problem underground. Even if you have to do a phone call or quick email, let the person know you need…
Everyone needs to learn some basic conflict resolution skills so that we don’t leave a wake of devastation, hurt and fallout in our lives.
We live in a day and age where most people talk about what they are “against” not what they’re “for”. For the most part, we are a culture that blazes the “I don’t like ___” trail while giving very little consideration to what we do like. This adversarial approach tends to pit us against others and stirs up unnecessary conflict.…
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] You have Contribution! Most people don’t realize that in every difficult and challenging conversation BOTH sides have contribution. Contribution says, “What did I do or say to add to the situation?” rather than asking, “Who is right or wrong?” Unfortunately in our punitive, judicial system and Western mindset, we have…
“Learning Conversations” What kind of conversations are you having? When conversations get a bit tense and sometimes heated we are faced with a decision to make. We can either choose to have a “I’m right, you’re wrong” conversation where we are trying to prove our point, or we can have “learning conversations” where we remain open to someone’s perception and…
Are You a Negotiator: Yes or No? Whether we like it or not, we are all negotiators. As humans we find ourselves negotiating on a daily basis with co-workers, friends, spouses and our children. We negotiate business deals, future plans, values or simply where to go out for dinner. So, since we are already negotiators, lets identify the MOST IMPORTANT…
Is your organizational culture one of suspicion? Nothing damages relational trust and camaraderie more than the assumption of suspicion. Instead we must strive to give our teammates and colleagues the benefit of the doubt. Giving the benefit of the doubt FIRST says “I don’t know the reason, details or motives behind your words or actions, but I trust you anyways.” …
