Avoiding Conflict In Your Workplace

Contributed by Trey Sloan

Unless you own a small business, you cannot handpick your coworkers and colleagues. Your colleagues may be people you would not choose as everyday companions. Workplace disagreements are disruptive to everyone in the work environment. You need to learn to manage potential conflicts and minimizing their impact. By doing so, you also improve your future career prospects.

The easiest way to resolve conflicts is to avoid them in the first place. By being polite and pleasant to your coworkers, you will have fewer problems. Make a point of communicating everything clearly and succinctly. Many conflicts arise through simple misunderstandings. E-mail is often the cause of miscommunication. When written, the comment that you think is funny can be mistaken for rude or worse. Reread all your e-mail messages before sending them out to make sure nothing you have written can be taken the wrong way.

When you know that you do not get along with a coworker and you can see trouble coming, keep your conversations professional. Document incidents so that you have a recorded history of the problem. Your side of the story gains credibility if you have documentation, and it shows your manager that you are not acting rashly.

Setting expectations and boundaries can also help you steer clear of unnecessary office quarrels. Instead of snapping at the person who interrupts your lunch, let everyone know that you do not like to be disturbed from noon to one every afternoon. Likewise, learn to respect your colleagues’ boundaries. Stan may be cranky in the morning, but much more pleasant after he’s had his coffee. Identify opportunities to steer around potentially volatile situations. For example, if you know Marcia always feels “out of the loop,” take initiative and make sure she is informed.

Even with civil manners and a proactive attitude, the occasional office conflict is inevitable. When you do resolve a disagreement, it is critical that you do not overreact. The embarrassment from an overreaction can last much longer than the conflict itself. Don’t react out of anger. Take a walk. Go get a cup of coffee. Always give yourself time to calm down before you do anything you will regret. Eventually you will calm down (at least a little bit) and you will be able to think more clearly. Afterwards, if the situation still requires resolution, make sure you understand the situation before you address it.

When you address a problem with a coworker, focus on correcting on the behavior, not criticizing the person. The difference is slight but important. Instead of confronting Jake with a comment like “You annoy me when you talk on your speakerphone”, try telling him “It is disruptive to me when you use your speakerphone.” By concentrating on a person’s actions rather than his character, your criticism seems less like an attack and more like a reasonable request.

Meeting face-to-face is the best way to eliminate misunderstandings. If this is not possible, then a phone call will suffice but never use e-mail. E-mails can be strategically forwarded or changed (or both) to make you look bad. It is also a lasting record of what you said. If you write an angry email, the recipient may not read it until after you have already forgotten about it entirely. Learning to use Outlook’s options will allow you to delay the sending of an e-mail for a period of time. That way, you can have the satisfaction of writing a scathing message to that lazy, no-good coworker of yours but have time to delete it before anyone reads it.

When you work in close proximity with a group of people, occasionally misunderstandings take place. It is even possible that someone you work with is upset with you. If you find yourself confronted by a coworker, listen without interrupting. Realize that sometimes feelings get hurt and that you may have played a role in that. Sometimes a little empathy for your coworkers’ feelings can put an end to the situation.

When resolving a conflict, do not have the expectation that other parties will see the error of their ways and accept the blame. Conflict resolution does not work that way. You need to find a compromise that works for everyone. That’s just part of modern professional life. By avoiding the unnecessary fights and minimizing the damage from others, you will be happier in your job and will show your manager that you are a professional.

About the Author:
Trey Sloan is a writer that has worked in the computer software and telecommunications industries for 12 years.

This article is intended for general informational purposes and does not provide legal or other professional advice. All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Please read our disclaimer for additional terms and conditions governing access to and use of this article.