World Hello Day: Why is communication a better tool to manage conflicts in the workspace?
All organizations have their fair share of disputes. It is nearly unavoidable in a workspace. You are interacting with your colleagues every shift, and there may be some miscommunication along the way. In fact, in a study conducted by US firm Gartner, 70% of corporate errors are a result of poor communication. Whether it is between managers, employees, or between managers and their employees. In honor of World Hello Day, we must revisit the importance of communication as a tool.
Communication can be crucial to dissolving conflicts in a healthy manner. It is an integral quality in any kind of relationship. It helps establish, maintain, and organize strong bonds with people in both, your personal and professional life. This tool can assist in navigating messy conflicts by ideating measures to keep the best interests in mind.
Encountering a conflict
We must remember conflicts are not inherently negative. There are multiple positive components that need to be highlighted. However, how you choose to deal with the issue may enhance negative components. Let us look at how we can benefit from conflicts:
- Shifts the spotlight on crucial problems
- Encourages participation and unity of people
- Brings forth diverse opinions and innovative solutions
- It helps recognize and appreciate differences
Conflicts can propel your organization to flourish as a unity. Hence, there is no need to be defensive when one occurs. You must have an open mind when encountering a conflict. Remember to not take criticisms to heart, rather learn to use them as crucial feedback. Be aware that anyone can make mistakes, and so can you.
How to leverage communication to manage conflicts
Now, we come to addressing the conflict itself. While communication is a great tool, you must know how to appropriately leverage it. Here are some strategies to keep in mind when communicating to address conflicts:
Be clear and straightforward
Many times miscommunication is the root cause of these conflicts. One should not assume any detail of what needs to be conveyed as intuitive. Additionally, not communicating specific details even minor details can cause confusion which can then lead to frustration. This is extremely detrimental when de-escalating a conflict.
Clear communication is a skill that needs to be developed. Collect and organize your thoughts. This will help you decide what you want and need, which you can then convey to others. It may help to put your content in bullet points to convey your message clearly and concisely as well.
Be transparent
Being transparent to either side of the conflict is essential. This will allow them to understand the restraints on the opposing side, which may have been the cause of the conflict. Transparency may even lead to the two sides empathizing with each other. This can greatly assist in de-escalating any issues.
Be sensitive
Emotions can be interlaced with certain conflicts. It can be easy to get carried away in conflicts. Remember to be sensitive when navigating such conflicts. As an HR or manager, you must keep their emotions in mind and regulate your own. These conflicts can greatly affect wellbeing. ACTS is a tool offered by Manah Wellness to ensure holistic employee wellbeing and help them live life to its full potential.
Offer support and acknowledge their challenging time. Ensure that you are sensitive and compassionate when addressing the conflict. This can be key to conveying to your employees that you empathize with them.
Keep it two-way
Listening to what the other person has to say is a key component in communicating. Provide the people on both sides with a platform to express their concerns but remind them to use sensitive language. They can use this as a relief from their frustrations.
Additionally, gathering the list of concerns will allow you to take more apt measures to tackle the conflict. This way you can ensure you deliver their needs.
Be mindful of non-verbal communication
Whether it is in the tone of your voice or a scoff, non-verbal cues are an important component of communication. Hostile non-verbal cues will be picked up by other people. This will work against you, as they will return the hostility irrespective of the intentions behind them.
Hence, be aware of the way you are presenting yourself to others when communicating. A whopping 93% of effective communication is non-verbal. Ensure they feel heard. Be interested and attentive when they are speaking to you. This will greatly benefit you and even help the people frustrated calm down.
Conclusion
While managing conflicts is important not the last step. You must resolve and ensure all parties involved are satisfied to an extent. Addressing and resolving conflicts must be done as an organization to ensure that the company together makes progress. Conflicts can be exhausting making it important to keep mental health in check throughout this time.
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