When you need to deal with conflict at work what should you keep in mind regarding personality?

Despite the preventative measures we’ve explored above, conflict can still develop. If it does, you’ll need to take action to resolve it early and informally.

This can appear daunting, but it’s a core part of your role as a manager.

If you ignore unacceptable behaviour, problems can escalate until formal disciplinary or grievance procedures have to be used. This can make it much harder to achieve a successful resolution and repair relationships. 

Be proactive, and initiate informal discussions if you think a problem’s brewing. Conflict can lead to absences, so return-to-work interviews are also a good opportunity for you to ask questions about any issues which might be bothering employees.

Depending on the size of your organisation, your HR department should always be available in the event that you need informal advice to help you deal with conflict.

1. Be ready to facilitate conflict situations

Make sure you engage in challenging conversations as soon as you begin to observe early signs of conflict (for example, a heated example or an inappropriate personal remark). This shows you’re treating the conflict seriously. It’s more difficult to be respected if you’ve appeared to give certain behaviours tacit approval by letting a situation drift on for weeks or months.

Things to consider:

• Intervene quickly in cases of conflict. Deal with issues head on in a sensitive, fair and constructive way.
• Encourage people to talk. Listen carefully to their concerns. Help the individuals involved to identify the root of their disagreement.
• Remain objective. Avoid taking sides or making hasty judgements, and listen to everyone’s views and concerns. Make sure you fully understand all the issues at play, including any underlying tensions.
• Try to establish what the individuals need to happen to resolve matters or move forward, and any changes or compromises they’re prepared to make in their behaviour or attitudes.

2. Speak to each team member individually

If there’s an open disagreement between colleagues or you suspect a conflict is developing, start by having an informal, one-to-one discussion with each of the individuals concerned.

This will help you identify the crux of the problem while giving you an opportunity to hear people’s concerns in a safe, confidential setting.

Things to consider:

• Choose an appropriate place. It’s important to make people feel comfortable, so it’s good to have the conversation somewhere private and quiet.
• Avoid making assumptions. Many people find it difficult to open up about problems at work, let alone dealing with conflict itself. Keep an open mind and give them the space to talk it out.
• Always act with integrity and maintain confidentiality. Reassure the employee that the private information they disclose will stay confidential, and that you’ll only pass this information onto the other person with their permission.

3. Bring both sides together to communicate

Once you’ve gained a clear understanding of the conflict (as well as everyone’s different perspectives on the problem), bring the parties together and act as an objective facilitator to find common ground.

Things to consider:

• Encourage people to acknowledge their colleague’s views and concerns so that they see both sides of the situation.
• Take a problem-solving, constructive approach. Encourage the individuals to discuss any changes that can be made by either side to help find solutions and move forward.
• Remain impartial and objective. Avoid taking sides, but focus on helping the individuals to discuss their options and reach a resolution.

4. Protect employees by removing them from conflict situations

In those instances where conflict has become particularly heated, it might simply be untenable (when one considers the needs of the rest of the team) to keep the disruptive colleague present. In these cases, it might be necessary to temporarily separate team members who are in a conflict situation to prevent the situation from escalating.

Things to consider:

• Understand what to do in the event of a major disagreement. If attempts to calm the situation down do not improve things, the risk is that someone will do or say something in the heat of the moment that could become a bigger source of grievance than the original problem.
• Once the disputing parties have been physically separated (where organisational size permits), it should be possible to have a calmer, more rational conversation about what sparked the disagreement and find a possible resolution.
• Consider transferring the disruptive team member to another team or area – only where fair, necessary and feasible. In some circumstances there may be personality clashes that are hard to resolve, or a particular member of staff who consistently causes conflict. If so, consider whether it could be helpful for the individual to move to a different job role or team, which they may be more suited to. Any change would have to follow full consultation with the individual.

5. Gather ideas on how to address conflict from within the team

In those cases where a dispute affects the whole team (for example, as a result of tensions arising from having to meet particular deadlines, or changes to working practices), hold a discussion or brainstorming meeting to find possible solutions.

Things to consider:

• Use one-to-ones with employees and listen to different people’s perspectives to get a clear picture of what exactly is creating team disharmony.
• Help prevent future instances of conflict by having regular consultations with your team. This ensures you consider their views before introducing any changes which might affect their work or working environment.

6. Follow up on conflicts after resolution

It’s tempting to hope that, once a conflict’s been resolved, the problem’s gone away for good. In many cases, however, one party or another will still feel aggrieved (to a greater or lesser extent).

Things to consider:

• Talk to the individuals involved during one-to-ones, or during discussions around performance appraisals, to find out whether the conflict really has been resolved, or if there are any renewed tensions or feelings of unhappiness.
• Regular one-to-ones serve as ‘temperature checks’ to ensure that old disagreements do not resurface.

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