Conflict is an inevitable part of any workplace. As a midlevel professional, we have all encountered conflicts and all have learned valuable lessons along the way.
One of my friends, Terri, is a retired police officer. Terri worked as a member of a SWAT team and was over Community policing. She said negotiation and community policing go hand in hand.
As a police officer, Terri said there was always conflict. I asked her how she managed it. Terri said that a lot of conflict management she did was truly based off of when we negotiated.
8 steps to resolve conflict!
Based on the circumstance, different steps are used.
1. Activity Listening
You basically listen to what the person has to say without interrupting them and try to get to the core of what the issue is for what they say. You let them see that you are listening to what they are saying and understand why they feel that way.
2. Effective Pause
While listening, you don’t interrupt. You let them get out what they are feeling and then answer. Give the person a chance to get out what they say without interruptions.
So basically, let them say everything and wait for them to take a pause. Then, depending on the circumstance, use the mirroring effect where you repeat back to them what they have said and how you have understood it.
3. Paraphrasing
Through listening to what they are saying, you then repeat to them what you feel they are trying to express to you and give some examples of how we could fix it.
4. Minimal Encouragers
These are again, putting into your own words what you are understanding that the person you are dealing with is understanding what they feel is the problem.
5. Empathy
Empathize with them to the fact that you appear to understand why they feel the way they do.
6. Open-Ended Questions
Always asking open ended questions. You get a lot more information from the person and what’s really bothering them with open-ended questions.
7. Emotional Healing
Emotional labeling basically is saying something to the effect: I hear that you are upset because your neighbor is overstepping their boundaries because their tires are on your grass not on their driveway. You are labeling their problem and then you suggest ways to fix it by using the mirroring effect.
8. Mirroring
Mirroring is basically being a parrot and repeating to them exactly what they said so that they know you were listening.
Conflict resolution is a vital skill for midlevel professionals. Learning from seasoned experts like Terri provides invaluable insights. Terri’s approach, rooted in her extensive experience in law enforcement, highlights the importance of structured negotiation techniques.
By applying the 8 steps she outlined—active listening, effective pausing, paraphrasing, minimal encouragers, empathy, open-ended questions, emotional labeling, and mirroring—we can navigate workplace conflicts more effectively. These steps not only help in understanding the core issues but also foster a more empathetic and solution-oriented environment.
You can do it!
Embracing these techniques can enhance our ability to manage conflicts and contribute to a happier and less-stressful workplace.
