Does the thought of having that difficult conversation fill you with dread? Will you do anything to avoid conflict in the workplace?
If the answer to these questions is yes then leadership consultant Amy Jen Su has some sage words of advice for you over on HBR. Here are the four key tips I took away from her blog to help you get over your fear of conflict:
1. Focus on the business need
Fear of conflict is really about you, not the business. So stay focused on the business and say what you need to.
2. Speak objectively and make requests
Talk about what you’ve observed, don’t label behaviour or traits. Then request the changes you want to see.
3. Keep a calm demeanour
Conflict doesn’t have to be aggressive, it can and should be calm and respectful.
4. Take baby steps
If you are a habitual conflict avoider, don’t jump into complex, thorny issues right away. Choose easier situations to deal with first and develop your conflict resolution skills.
If you or your team need help managing conflict and having better conversations with each other, try our one day Courageous Conversations course. This workshop will help you understand the four broad clusters of influencing behaviour and basic aspects of coaching skills such as deeper listening and powerful questioning.
Call Sophie on 0207 269 6990 or email sophie@mh2021.mystagingwebsite.com to find out more.