Manage conflicts in the office
Life isn't always simple. Not even in the office. The reasons for tension when working in a team are numerous. Disorganization, bad division of tasks, struggles for power ... The atmosphere can soon become electric.
The different types of conflict
Finding an adequate solution to the conflict presupposes looking for its cause. A good analysis of the situation will make it possible to better manage the crisis.
- I. generational conflicts
This type of conflict is increasingly common in businesses. Younger employees clash with older ones: archaic methods for some and too avant-garde for others, misunderstandings, skills questioned, refusal to adapt ... These conflicts are among the simplest to resolve if everyone puts in a some good will: reopening dialogue, training older employees in new techniques, knowing how to take advantage of the advice of those with more experience, but also showing patience, tolerance and an open mind. You need to be able to express your needs, but also recognize your shortcomings, on both sides.
- Personality conflicts
It is not possible to get along with everyone, it is clear. Ideologies, characters, socio-cultural values are factors that can create tensions. But, even if differences of viewpoint are normal, they must not systematically become an occasion for confrontation. Adopting a strategy that avoids conflicts, while remaining courteous, can be a solution for people who are not forced to work side by side. If not, it is best to carefully avoid problematic topics. But when this incompatibility is such as to prevent any form of communication, other more radical solutions can be contemplated: change of headquarters or department, for example.
- Conflicts of interest
Whether they involve a salary increase, a promotion or otherwise, there are struggles for power within a company. This competition is sometimes stimulated by companies to get better results. But when this rivalry reaches such a level that the functioning of the company is affected, it may be necessary to clearly re-establish the territory of each.
-Hidden conflicts
It may happen that, within a work group, only one person is in a situation of conflict, with the bosses, for example, or with their collaborators. This conflictual situation can quickly become a limitation, but at times it can also be healthy. The person in question can reveal a deeper and more general malaise, which no one else dares to express. In this case, the solution lies in communication, which can become dangerous if the main interlocutor is involved in the conflict. But, since the survival of the group, or even the company, often depends, it is essential to quickly find the source of the problem, and resolve the conflict.
Communication, the keystone of the company
It seems obvious, sure, but repetita juvant: the best way to get out of a crisis situation remains to communicate. But, to do this, dialogue must remain possible.
-Control your emotions
Human nature is made in such a way that, when an individual feels attacked, the first reaction is to defend himself. Provocations, insults, verbal or physical violence ... The temptation to respond in kind is strong. Yet an escalation of violence will further poison an already tense situation in itself. And, moreover, to get out of an impasse it is necessary to stick to the facts, without calling into question the feelings. Emotional reactions lead nowhere: it is therefore convenient to control emotions.
-Affirm yourself with tact
The interest lies in finding a common ground that satisfies all the parties involved. It is not a question of giving up one's own opinions, but of admitting that it is possible to have different points of view. Taking a constructive attitude towards your interlocutor allows each to express themselves clearly, respecting the other.
Mediation, the last resort
When all the solutions have been contemplated, or a conflict has assumed such proportions that any negotiation is impossible, sometimes the key to unlocking the situation becomes the use of a third person. Neutral and impartial, the mediator, who has no interest to defend, will be able to give a new and objective opinion on the crisis. This third person can be chosen in the company, a staff representative, for example, but more and more companies are making use of companies specialized in the management of conflicts between collaborators. This solution has the advantage of putting the parties into question in the face of the situation in an independent universe: a new awareness can make its way, leading collaborators to ask themselves the right questions, to develop their sense of responsibility and to find for themselves, at the end, a solution to the problem.
