How to Deal with Conflict: 5 Tips for a Leader

Conflicts in Russia are not an emergency, but a norm of life. Neuroticism in all strata of society is off the charts. Everyone loves to suffer for the truth with foam at the mouth. Everyone stubbornly builds himself a tough nut to crack, and no one wants to give in even in small things. There are local conflicts that have been going on in the workplace for years. Does this affect efficiency? Undoubtedly! Does it spoil your nerves? Definitely!

I try to minimize conflict situations in my company using the following rules.

1. Do not create unnecessary stress factors

I have only one - an inevitable deadline. We must have time to do everything on time and in accordance with state standards. If an employee copes, but at the same time has a non-standard appearance, I do not strain him with unnecessary frames. Compliance with formalities is costly and often ineffective. You come to some state corporation, and there everything is with white collars and nothing works. Sound familiar?

2. Hire mature people

I try to hire mature workers, although some of them are under thirty. The fact is that each of us makes decisions based on our psychological age. According to Eric Byrne's theory, there are three personalities in each: an adult, a child and a parent. Where the child says “I don’t know”, the adult will say “I will figure it out”, and the parent - “I will do it for you”. This gives rise to a "generational conflict" even in a homogeneous team.

Children don't grow up, parents get upset - goodbye, emotional balance and results! With the growth of independence, many conflicts disappear. Of course, the young guard is needed in any team, but people with pathological infantilism in the terminal stage are best avoided!

3. Dampen the negative

When working with staff and customers, I try to amortize accusations and negativity. Try to use depreciation instead of the usual escalation (development) of the conflict. You supposedly accept the opposite point of view, but move from the level of empty accusations to the level of real motives.

For example, they say to you: "Fool, you can't cope!" And you: “I agree that he is a fool. What exactly am I not coping with? " After amortization, constructive conversation begins. The only exception is if you are faced with sadists who humiliate others just for the sake of pleasure. In dealing with them, amortizing is not only useless, but also harmful.

4. Drain off steam safely

Many modern offices have physical activity zones, treadmills, horizontal bars, and so on. Excess hormone of aggression (testosterone) can be removed through physical activity. I regularly train myself and pay fitness membership for my employees. You may not find an athlete's body, but you will definitely get emotional relaxation. A person is imprisoned for an active life, do not waste it on swearing!

5. Open up conflicts - solve problems

Life without conflicts is a utopia! We constantly have problems, and we solve them at the expense of someone. Everything in the world is subject to competition, from parking spaces to huge market segments.

If you want to create an atmosphere of natural selection in your company, the internal problems of the team may not be solved at all. Then a common printer or vacation schedule can serve as a hotbed of constant conflict.

The manager a priori cannot know about all problem points. A stable feedback channel with subordinates is required. Create, for example, a complaints and suggestions box. Surely very soon it will be filled with anonymous letters, many of which will be at least interesting.

By the way, I really look forward to complaints and suggestions in the comments!