Regardless of how good your organization is, or how reputable it is, conflicts in the workplace are inevitable. And when it comes to these conflicts, there are no “bad” or “good” people, it is the differences in opinion and culture that largely contribute to these conflicts. See, with differences of opinions in the workplace, it is common for disagreements to arise, and these lead to conflicts. Having said that, it makes so much sense to prepare ways to handle the conflicts when they arise. Now, this is where the 5 “C’s of conflict resolution” come in.
The 5 ‘Cs’ Approach
Carefully listen – one thing about conflicts in the workplace is that there are sides and that each side may be right. So, you have to listen to all sides diligently, even though you may not agree. By doing this, you let everyone feel heard and understood, and that would be the perfect start for the conflict resolution process. Listen to every point with an open mind, and who knows, you might end up reconciling the parties.
Considerately look at the situation – as you know, during a conflict, emotions and anxieties tend to run high. In such a situation, a true leader needs to make sure that the teams learn to respect each other, more so their opinions, even when they disagree. As a matter of fact, they need to accept each other’s opinions.
Calmly discuss the conflicting perspectives – sometimes, being cordial in a conflictive situation really helps in conflict resolution. Discuss the issue calmly. Don’t bring emotions into this, as it will make the matters worse. As the mediator, make sure that everyone is calm, including you, and most importantly, don’t take sides.
Conscientiously look at the facts – let all the facts come forward before moving towards conflict resolution. Then look at the issue at hand from all perspectives, and make sure that all points under discussion are clear. Stay mindful of what everyone is saying, and most importantly, be thorough.
Cooperatively work together – when you apply all the aspects above, you will easily reach a win-win situation for both sides, which would be the ideal outcome of a conflict in the workplace. Both parties should feel that even though their perspectives are different, the common interests are the same, and therefore, they will be able to work together towards the common goal.
The benefits of this approach
Leads to solving the actual problem – this approach enables you to listen to all the perspectives with an open mind, and therefore you will be able to pinpoint what the real problem is. Then you will work together to towards a common solution.
Leads to a win-win outcome – when it comes to conflict resolution, a win-win situation for all the parties is always the ideal solution. So, this approach helps you achieve, as all parties get to air their perspectives, before cooperating together to find a solution that all the parties can agree with.
Reinforces mutual trust and respect – this approach allows everyone to listen to one another, and the teams also learn to respect each other’s view, even when they don’t agree with them. This, in turn, reinforces mutual respect among the employees, thereby creating a conducive environment for the business to thrive.
Final Thought
By letting everyone take part in conflict resolution, teaches them how to handle any conflict by themselves, and that means, next time, in the event of a conflict in the workplace, they are less likely to require your intervention. They will solve it amongst themselves.