Conflict Resolution: 8 Strategies to Manage

Workplace Conflict
by Gregory P. Smith

Last Updated: Nov 10, 2017

Conflict in the workplace is inevitable, but it doesn't have to bring down morale or effect
productivity. Here are eight things you can do to handle conflict in the workplace and restore the
peace.

Image source: BigStockPhoto.com

Conflict in the workplace is a painful reality and a key reason for poor productivity and frustration.
Do you have people in your workplace that cause problems for everyone else? Do they create
additional work for others? One point is clear--conflict does not magically go away and only gets
worse when ignored.

Certain types of workplace conflict are readily identified. Other forms of conflict may not be so
easily detected. Small, irritating events such as negative attitudes occur repeatedly over time and
can cause people to strike out at each other. In many cases, conflict occurs at the senior level of
the organization. In these situations some kind of intervention is needed.

What type of workplace conflict requires intervention? Anything that disrupts the office, impacts
on productivity or poses a threat to other employees needs addressing. The degree to which you
tolerate a situation before intervention may vary. A manager may not feel it necessary to
intervene when a minor exchange of words occurs between employees--unless such an incident
becomes a daily occurrence and expands beyond the employees initially involved. However, a
situation where one employee threatens another requires immediate action. When handling
conflict, some basic guidelines apply.

Understand the situation. Few situations are exactly as they seem or as presented to you by
others. Before you try to settle the conflict insure you have investigated both sides of the issue.

Acknowledge the problem. I remember an exchange between two board members. One
member was frustrated with the direction the organization was taking. He told the other, “Just
don’t worry about it. It isn’t that important.” Keep in mind what appears to be a small issue to you
can be a major issue with another. Acknowledging the frustration and concerns is an important
step in resolving the conflict.

Be patient and take your time. The old adage, “Haste makes waste,” has more truth in it than
we sometimes realize. Take time to evaluate all information. A too-quick decision does more
harm than good when it turns out to be the wrong decision and further alienating the individual
involved.

Avoid using coercion and intimidation. Emotional outbursts or coercing people may stop the
problem temporarily, but do not fool yourself into thinking it is a long-term solution. Odds are the
problem will resurface. At that point not only will you have the initial problem to deal with, but also
the angry feelings that have festered below the surface during the interim.
Focus on the problem, not the individual. Most people have known at least one “problematic
individual” during their work experience. Avoid your own pre-conceived attitudes about
individuals. Person X may not be the most congenial individual or they may just have a
personality conflict with someone on your staff. This does not mean they do not have a legitimate
problem or issue. Focus on identifying and resolving the conflict. If, after careful and thorough
analysis, you determine the individual is the problem, then focus on the individual at that point.

Establish guidelines. Before conducting a formal meeting between individuals, get both parties
to agree to a few meeting guidelines. Ask them to express themselves calmly—as unemotionally
as possible. Have them agree to attempt to understand each other’s perspective. Tell them if
they violate the guidelines the meeting will come to an end.

Keep the communication open. The ultimate goal in conflict resolution is for both parties to
resolve the issue between themselves. Allow both parties to express their viewpoint, but also
share your perspective. Attempt to facilitate the meeting and help them pinpoint the real issue
causing conflict.

Act decisively. Once you have taken time to gather information, talked to all the parties
involved, and reviewed all the circumstances, make your decision and act. Don’t leave the issue
in limbo. Taking too long to make a decision could damage your credibility and their perception of
you. They may view you as either too weak, too uncaring, or both, to handle the problem. Not
everyone will agree with your decision, but at least they will know where you stand.

9 Toxic Coworkers to Look Out For

(and How to Protect Yourself)
By Blaine Loomer

Last Updated: Jan 9, 2017

Just one person behaving badly at work can send company morale into a downward spiral.
Unfortunately, most companies have more than one ne’er-do-well bringing everyone else down.
It’s time to call those morale- and productivity-busting personalities on the carpet so you can spot
them and steer clear of their mess.
Image source: Photospin.com

Every office has one (or two, or more!). You know the types. Those toxic coworkers who only
look out for Number One, no matter what the cost to their coworkers or the company that
employs them. The kind who, when you are next in line for a promotion, raise, or simply the next
pat on the back from the boss, won’t hesitate to steal your thunder by brown-nosing their ways
into the boss’s good graces. Basically, they’re the people who will step all over you and your
coworkers if it means getting what they want (with as little work as possible!).

Is it possible to get ahead when your office ne’er-do-wells are trying to bring you down? Yes. The
trick to getting ahead in today’s business world is recognizing these negativity-spewing
colleagues before it’s too late.

Greed, laziness, selfishness and backstabbing behaviors are an all-too-common part of many
company cultures. Often, the people who personify these behaviors within organizations step on
the colleagues who are just trying to put in an honest day’s work—so they can get ahead or get
out of pulling their load—and it’s time to call them out.

If your memory is being flooded with all of the toxic colleagues you’ve encountered in the past (or
are dealing with right now!), you certainly aren’t alone. More importantly, the days of simply
having to grin and bear them are over. Here are nine common crappy colleagues to watch out for
and how you can work around them.

The Politician. Promotions based on merit are not what these schmoozers believe in. Instead,
they participate in office politics—popping in the boss’s office every five minutes, declaring their
indispensable worth. The Politician is consumed with company politics. Her work life becomes a
game in which she is constantly trying to “win” the next job, the next promotion, the next project.
However, she spends little or no time fulfilling her current responsibilities.

How to protect yourself: If you’re looking to earn the promotion you deserve without playing the
office politics game, first evaluate your boss. If your boss has a huge ego, then the Politicians will
be tough to beat because they excel at stroking egos and kissing up to get what they want. If
your boss isn’t an egomaniac, he will soon tire of the grandstanding.

Once you have determined the boss’s motivating factors, you can adapt your behavior to combat
the Politician without losing focus on your job. The best way to do this is to state the facts.
Documentation and accountability are to the Politician what kryptonite is to Superman. The right
documentation stops Politicians in their tracks because they can’t spread their lies when there is
proof showing who is really doing the work. Create a paper trail. Save all of your emails and
voicemails, if possible. You may need them for later reference.

When it comes to documentation, though, keep in mind that politicians abuse email. They ask
you to forward documents to them for review, then they send them on to the boss without your
knowledge. They like to create the perception that they did the work. A favorite tactic is to reply to
you—cc-ing the boss, of course—but taking credit for your work. Make sure the information
stream to the boss flows directly from you. Don’t give the Politician an opportunity to put her
name on work that originated with you.

By the way, it never hurts to brag about yourself a little bit. Make yourself known. Establish your
value in the organization. Healthy politicking may serve you well.

The Rooster. These are interesting characters. I call them Roosters for two reasons. They seem
to want to crow a lot about themselves, and they also like to sit on the fence to avoid making
decisions.

The Rooster is a bit of an egomaniac, and this affects his ability to make decisions. If a Rooster
makes a poor one, it’s a huge bruise to his ego. At some point, he may have to admit that he was
wrong. This fear of imperfection keeps the Rooster on the fence. He rarely, if ever, makes a
decision. If he is lucky, someone else will make it, or if he waits long enough, the decision will
make itself. Either way, the Rooster’s passive approach allows him to maintain a level of
deniability.

The Rooster is always quick to assign blame. He seems to be more concerned with finding out
who is responsible for the problem than actually trying to fix it or find its cause (not that he could
fix anything anyway, that would involve actually making a decision!). The Rooster prefers to
ignore problems and hope they go away.

How to protect yourself: There are two things you can do if you have to work with a Rooster.
Either force him to make a decision, or tear down the fence and watch him run around aimlessly.
Whichever choice you make, you will need a lot of patience.

The Funeral Director. These are those people who live on negative energy and are motivated
by crisis. Drama drives their days. Although they usually have ample time to complete their
assigned tasks, for whatever reason, they procrastinate or otherwise delay progress until there is
a crisis and something “just has to be done.” Any task you give them will eventually become the
“end of the world” until it is accomplished.

How to protect yourself: When you work with a Funeral Director, pad the schedule. Make sure
that the deadline you assign is earlier than the actual deadline. This will ensure that their crisis
does not become yours.

The Tattletale. Do you ever wonder who keeps the office rumor mill going? Or how your boss
finds out about every little mistake from you and your colleagues right after it happens? Look no
further than your office Tattletale. Some people might strive to be the bearers of good news, but
not the Tattletales. They deal mostly in negative office rumors and gossip, or in any other
information that they think they can use to get ahead. They love to share bad news—as long as
the bad news is about somebody else and not them.
How to protect yourself: Keep your mouth shut and don’t disclose anything you don’t want
everyone to know about. The only thing you can trust about Tattletales is that they will disclose
any information you tell them if doing so will give them a leg up in the company. Remember,
anything you say to them can and will be used against you!

But Tattletales do have some value. If you want to spread information, just tell your office
Tattletale and ask him to keep the information confidential. He won’t be able to resist the
temptation, and your message will quickly spread throughout the company.

The Points Shaver. We all know someone who is a Points Shaver. She keeps score
on everything. Anything she does for you is recorded on her mental scoreboard, and she expects
to be repaid at some point—in the very near future!

Points Shavers seem to remember what they have done for you, but forget what you have done
for them. Whenever you ask them for a favor, they start in on a long list of what they have done
for you in the past, and how your new requests will increase the debt you owe them. They’ve
forgotten how many times they cashed in on their favors.

How to protect yourself: When dealing with a Points Shaver, keep in mind that the score is never
tied. Don’t bother keeping score unless it’s worth your time. The best way to keep your sanity
may be to avoid the Points Shaver altogether.

The Office Flirt. I think we all know what this is by now. But look out for Office Flirts who do their
flirting 21st Century-style. You may become involved in an email back-and-forth or IM
conversation that turns flirtatious before you even know it. Or you could receive some
questionable correspondence after becoming the Office Flirt’s friend on Facebook or another
social networking site. Bottom line: keep all of your office conversations professional—whether it
takes place by the water cooler or online.

How to protect yourself: Just don’t get involved. End of story. Nothing good can come from it.
Don’t even think about it!

The Networker. I’m sure you recognize the Networker—the person who spends more time
networking than actually working. They believe that the road to success is about whom you
know, not what you know.

I have watched people do nothing but network all day long. One guy worked from 8:00 a.m. to
10:00 p.m. almost every day. Initially I thought he was a very hard worker. One afternoon, a few
of his coworkers showed up at happy hour, and I asked them why he worked so much. It turns
out that he was spending the entire day walking around the office, socializing with everyone and
then doing his work after hours.

How to protect yourself: Don’t get sucked into the web of a Networker. They name-drop and
appear to be connected. In reality, they are just time thieves. They burn up a lot of your valuable
time with meaningless office chitchat. It doesn’t take long for everyone to get tired of them.
Hanging around them will not add much to your value.

The Taskmaster. Have you ever come across someone at work who spends all of his time
worrying about what everyone else is doing, while at the same time complaining that no one else
in the company ever does anything and that he is saddled with all the work? This is the
Taskmaster. Taskmasters are quick to assign tasks to other people to avoid having to do
anything—and yet as soon as a task is completed, somehow the Taskmaster is there to take
credit for getting it done.

The Taskmaster constantly works to create the perception that he is so busy that he just couldn’t
possibly work one more thing into his day. In reality, he has a lazy streak a mile wide, and he
works harder to get out of work than most of us do to get our work done.

How to protect yourself: Beware of him. Keep him at a distance or you will spend your days doing
his job.

The Wakeboarder. Watch out—coming through! Wakeboarders are similar to Taskmasters in

that they like to pass their work on to others; however, unlike Taskmasters, Wakeboarders hide
their BS behind an outgoing personality. Coworkers like them, so they are more willing to help,
and the Wakeboarder knows this. She spends a good deal of her time socializing, not to network,
but to find gullible coworkers to whom she can pass her work.

You will know when the Wakeboarder has an impending deadline because you see her rallying
her troops and bringing together every possible resource to help her complete her task or project.

How to protect yourself: Like the Taskmaster, steer clear of Wakeboarders. Although
Wakeboarders are typically good employees and produce high-quality finished products, they
leave a wake a mile wide as coworkers bust their humps to help them complete their projects.

Just imagine what these workplace BSers and the rest of their ilk are costing in productivity, not
to mention the overall morale of their companies. The important thing is that you not get bogged
down in their nonsense. Find ways to protect yourself from them so you can ensure that you get
the credit that you deserve, aren’t working late nights to get their work done for them, or find
yourself caught in any of their schemes. Work smarter, and you can get ahead every time.

How to Manage Employee Conflicts in a Small

Business
by Brad Egeland

Last Updated: Apr 4, 2017

When employees are at odds with one another it affects the entire workplace. Here are three
steps you can take to resolve conflicts and disagreements among your small business
employees.

Any business setting can be a hotbed for conflict. And nowhere

is that more prevalent than in the small business arena where small and locally run businesses
are struggling and failing every day in the current economic climate. Stress is high, customers
have dwindled and are slow to come back, and profits in many cases have fallen off the table.
Stressful? Yes. Are people fearing for their jobs? Yes. Will conflict arise? Undoubtedly…it’s
usually just a matter of time.

In the small business environment everyone is close. How do you deal with conflict in this
environment without causing major problems in your day-to-day business activities? It’s your
business, yes. But these are individuals you are close to – have likely known for quite some time
– and work in close proximity to on a daily basis. How do you handle conflict in this type of a
setting?

I suggest going through the following three step process to deal with workplace conflicts in the
small business setting…

#1 – Go directly to the source

First, go directly to the source. That may be another individual in conflict with you or it may be
two of your employees in conflict with each other. Whatever the situation – remain impartial. If
someone is in conflict with you – hear them out. The issue may have nothing at all to do with
work – it could just be stress in their outside life that they’ve brought to work. Or they may have a
legitimate case to be in conflict with you – and you must be open to the fact that you could be the
one who is in the wrong. And if the conflict is between two of your employees – go to each
separately and discuss it with them.

#2 – Bring parties together to discuss

Once you’ve heard each side separately, bring them together for a monitored discussion. The
key is to work through the issues – together. You need to get to the root of the issue so that it
doesn’t become bigger and threaten the work being done or the cohesiveness of the small
workplace environment.

# 3 – Come to a resolution

Finally, you must come to some resolution – even if it just involves more discussion and a
shaking of hands. Or in my case it would need to involve pizza. If you can get the parties to
shake hands, smile, and put it behind them then the battle has been won and you can move on.

Don’t be afraid to look into the conflict in detail, if necessary. If new policies or procedures need
to be put in place to avoid the same conflict arising in the future, have that discussion with your
employees. The more you let them have ownership of the situation and the necessary changes
that are going to be implemented, the more they will actually comply with those new policies and
procedures.

Summary

Conflict can be a good thing. And it can be a very damaging thing if it’s not handled promptly and
properly. Never make the mistake of taking your employees’ issues too lightly. Make sure they
understand that their concerns are important to you and that you have their best interests in mind
as you work to help resolve these workplace conflicts. By doing so, you show them that you’re in
charge but you care about them and that they are a vital part of your organization.
 Management: How to Deal with
Your Difficult People
by Terry Paulson

Last Updated: May 22, 2017

For leaders managing constant change, conflict is built into the very fabric of their organizations.
When conflict is not dealt with well, it can create strained relationships and grow to sap the time,
energy, and productivity of even the best teams. Here are tips for dealing with your most difficult
people.

For leaders managing constant change, conflict is built into the very fabric of their organizations.
When conflict is not dealt with well, it can create strained relationships and grow to sap the time,
energy, and productivity of even the best teams. Dealt with positively, conflict can also be a
catalyst that sets the stage for needed changes. You will never deal with conflict perfectly, but
here are a few tips worth using in dealing with your most difficult people:

1. Talk to people instead of about them. Dealing with conflict directly may be uncomfortable
and lead to some disappointment, but it cuts down the mindreading and the resentment that can
occur when problems are not dealt with directly. Timing, tact, and taking distance will always
have their place, but make sure you still keep conflict eyeball to eyeball.

2. Be a problem solver not a problem evader. We are taught from childhood to avoid conflict
and often vacillate between the pain of dealing with unresolved problems and the guilt over not
dealing with them. Such vacillation saps energy and time; it can affect morale and turnover.
Problem solvers avoid avoidance; they learn to deal with conflict as soon as it even begins to get
in the way.

3. Develop a communication style that focuses on future problem solving rather than
getting stuck in proving a conviction for past mistakes. You want change, not just an admission of
guilt. Winners of arguments never always win, because consistent losers never forget. You want
results, not enemies seeking revenge. By focusing on future problem solving, both can save
face.

4. Problem solvers deal with issues, not personalities. It's all too easy to abuse the other
party instead of dealing with issues. Be assertive but affirm the rights of others to have different
positions, values and priorities. When you personalize disagreements and attack back, you invite
escalation. Keep the focus on mutual problem solving not name-calling.

5. Honor, surface and use resistance. Attempts at threatening, silencing or otherwise avoiding
criticism of change will only force resistance underground and increase the sabotaging of even
necessary changes. Explored resistance helps build clarity of focus and action. Push for specific
suggestions. If criticism is extensive and continues even after facing it, it may not be resistance-
know when to admit that you are wrong!

6. Redefine caring to include caring enough to confront on a timely and consistent

basis. Avoid labels that give you or others excuses for not confronting a problem-They are too
sensitive or too nice, scene makers or people who have contacts, too old or too young, or the
wrong race or gender. If you believe people cannot change or benefit from feedback, you will
tend not to confront them. Instead, treat all equally by caring enough to be firm, fair, and
consistent.

7. Avoid forming "enemy" relationships. The subtle art of influence is often lost in the heat of
organizational battle. When interaction becomes strained or bias exists, the negative interaction
coupled with the distance that often results invites selective scanning and projection. We see
what we want to see to keep our enemies "the enemy." If a relationship is limited to polite
indifference and significant negative interaction, expect polarization and an "enemy" relationship.
In such relationships everyone loses. Take seriously the words of Confucius, "Before you embark
on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." Even your most difficult people usually have some
people they work well with. Make one of those people you. Don't look for the worst; learn to look
for the best in even difficult people.

8. Invest time building positive bridges to your difficult people. Abraham Lincoln reportedly
said, "I don't like that man. I must get to know him better." Don't be insincere; look for ways to be
sincere. It takes a history of positive contact to build trust. Try building a four-to-one positive to
negative contact history. Give specific recognition and ask for assistance in the areas you
respect their opinions. Work together on a common cause and search for areas of common
ground. By being a positive bridge builder, you build a reputation all will see and come to respect
even if a few difficult people never respond.

Finally, don't forget to spend some time looking in a mirror. Ron Zemke put it well when he said,
"If you find that everywhere you go you're always surrounded by jerks and you're constantly
being forced to strike back at them or correct their behavior, guess what? You're a jerk."
Influencing others starts by making sure that you're not being difficult yourself.

How to Deal with Workplace Bullies

by Tim Parker

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2017

Workplace bullying can decrease morale, reduce productivity and cause good employees to quit.
Worse, it can get your business sued. Use these seven strategies to deal with workplace
bullies.

Image source: Photospin.com

Workplace bullying is a widespread problem. According to a Workplace Bullying Institute study,
65 million workers are affected by workplace bullying. 20% of respondents said they had been
bullied, 21% said that witnessed it, and 7% said that they are currently being bullied.

Even worse, 56% of people said that the person bullying them was their boss—making it hard to
report the problem.

Bullying isn’t just a traumatic experience for the employee—it spells trouble for your business.
There’s plenty of data that show that company culture has a direct effect on productivity. If your
culture is one of a hostile work environment, your employees may spend more time worrying
about their mental and physical safety than doing their best work. And once culture is broken, it
takes a long time to remedy the problem.

There’s also the potential legal liability. If the bullying rises to a serious level, and a company
official knew about it and did nothing, that could expose the company to possible litigation.

How to Deal with Workplace Bullies

1. Create an Anti-Bullying Policy
Another Workplace Bullying Institute survey found that 62% of the respondents reported having
no such policy at their workplace. Before you can hold somebody accountable, there must be a
policy in place since federal and state laws generally don’t mention workplace bullying unless it
falls under anti-harassment law. The policy should provide a definition of bullying and address
how employees should and shouldn’t act. In addition, it should layout reporting procedures and
company actions. Click here to read an example policy.
2. Provide Anti-Bullying Training
Nobody wants to sit through training like this but by addressing the subject, you’re not only
putting people on notice, you’re also helping to protect yourself from possible litigation. And some
older employees, used to how things used to be, may need some education on the modern office
environment. The Workplace Bullying Institute has resources available to help with training.
3. Encourage Reporting of Workplace Bullies
Tell all your employees that you want to know if they are a victim of or witness bullying. No report
is too small and if found to be true, swift action will be taken. Also let them know that all reports
will remain anonymous and investigated fully.

RELATED: Verbal Abuse and Workplace Violence

4. Provide No-Nonsense Enforcement of Policies
All the policies, training, and warnings mean nothing if there’s no concrete action taken when
bullying exists. Regardless of how well-liked, high performing, or important the person is, action
must be taken, even if that means the person is let go. Company culture and employee safety is
always more important than an individual. If people report bullying and notice no action being
taken, they won’t bother taking the chance again.
5. Don’t Call Anyone a Victim
Although the word might be accurate, using the term may cause other employees to look at the
person unfavorably. Did they bring it on themselves? “If they were better at their job maybe they
wouldn’t be treated that way,” and other comments might be said if the person is cast as a victim.

In general, you shouldn’t address incidents publically. Handle them with the parties involved. You
will set the best example by being responsive rather than having an employee meeting about it.

RELATED: How to Manage Employee Conflicts in a Small Business

6. Put a Stop to Rumors
Every company and organization has talkers and gossipers but doing your best to encourage
employees to talk to management instead of complain to each other will help to reinforce positive
company culture and make bullies feel like outcasts. The better your culture, the less audience a
bully has and the more likely people are to report the person.
7. Make Sure the Bully Isn't You
If we’re not honest, we can’t fix the problem. Maybe the bully is you. Maybe what you think is
funny is actually hurting somebody else. Or maybe the stress of being a business owner
sometimes comes out as anger toward employees.

First, remember that, whether you agree or not, we live in a culture that no longer tolerates the
old school yelling, crude jokes, hazing, or demeaning of “the new guy.” You can’t selectively
apply rules to certain employees, and you can’t publically reprimand people who make mistakes.
Any of these could be bullying and even if you’re found innocent, settling a legal matter such as
this could be costly.

If you’re a new business owner and just now starting to hire employees, make sure you know
what you can and can’t do as a boss.

Bottom Line

Culture starts at the top. Your company will become what you make it—good or bad. As an
employer, your business will never flourish if you don’t first care about the people that work for
you. Your company culture should be safe, inclusive, and caring. Not only is that the right thing to
do, happy employees work hard and more efficiently and that creates a more successful
business.