How Leaders Can Resolve Workplace Conflict

It is normal for workplace conflict to occur when people from very diverse origins, belonging to various cultures, and having very different perspectives and attitudes work together in an organization. While a minor argument may be settled by the parties involved, when the issue threatens to escalate, it is vital for a leader to step in. This is critical in order to preserve the pleasant working atmosphere and save time by resolving the issue as soon as feasible. However, although it is crucial for a leader to interfere in the situation, it is also important for a leader to be able to handle a heated one. While everyone looks forward to the leader as someone who can put a stop to a problem right away, it is common for them to be clueless at times. This, however, exacerbates the condition. To avoid a scenario like this, here are five ideas from Jerry Fu in this podcast episode on the ‘All Ears English Podcast’ channel that any leader may apply to handle any workplace conflict.

His first and the finest suggestion for leaders to implement to settle workplace conflict emphasizes that it is critical to be aware of the language, tone, and attitude with which your coworkers are comfortable speaking and participating. This is especially important if you share a workspace with individuals from other cultures than your own. Knowing the terminology and the appropriate manner to represent your and your coworkers’ interests makes it much easier for you as a leader to deal with and resolve a workplace conflict. Second, he argues that stating your expectations of your employees and clearly explaining the context for demanding a specific level of performance from them is an effective method to avoid workplace conflict in the first place. When everyone understands their tasks and responsibilities and is directed with the appropriate method and path to take, the likelihood of a workplace conflict occurring decreases significantly. Finally, he believes that in order to properly resolve a workplace issue, one must be driven to deal with it first. Most of the time, conflicts in the workplace are not addressed, which may temporarily calm the situation but may escalate into something far more serious if not addressed at the appropriate moment. Also, he believes it is beneficial to examine the productivity of the course of action you want to follow to resolve a workplace conflict before engaging in it. This enables you to discover areas where things may go wrong for you, and you may be able to find a better approach to implement a solution as a result.

Leaders are expected to find a solution relatively instantly when a workplace conflict arises. Yet, it may not always be simple for them, as they may require some time to fully comprehend the scenario. However, there are several measures and tips that they can keep in mind, some of which are given above, that can help them deal with a workplace conflict effectively.