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Workplace conflict is inevitable when employees of various backgrounds and different work styles are brought together for a shared business purpose. With tensions and anxieties at an all-time high due to the divide and constant discussions at work, the chances for workplace conflict have increased.
So many conflicts in life are caused by a lack of or poor communication, and the workplace is no different. Misunderstandings, closed-mindedness, and passive-aggressive behavior all contribute to workplace conflicts.
Let us look at some common reasons why conflict occurs at workplace.
1. Work -Based Conflicts
These disagreements arise in situations when individuals in an interdependent project network must coordinate their tasks so that everyone can successfully get their part done. This usually happens when the last one in the task chain is likely to miss deadlines because of the delay of others involved in the activity.
Effective delegation of tasks with roles and responsibilities can minimize chaos and help resolve this issue to a great extent. Constant communication with clarification as to what everyone should be doing in their role so they’re all on the same page when deadlines approach.
2. Leadership Conflicts
Everybody has a different leadership style. Some leaders are bold and charismatic, others are more laid-back, warm, and inviting. Some are highly technical and strict on rules and deadlines, and others are so hands-off you hardly see them.
To solve potential conflicts, you should emphasize mutual respect of differences throughout the company. Also, leaders should be aware of their own leaderships styles and how they interact with the work styles and personalities of people on their team. They should be able to adjust and connect with their employees irrespective of their styles.
3. Personality Conflicts
We are all different. We’re not always going to like everyone we meet, and it’s not easy to work with someone whose personality we find distasteful. It’s helpful to remember that who we perceive someone to be is not necessarily who they actually are.. Don’t let what you’ve seen define everything you’ll think about someone in the future. Be open, accept the difference and see what best value you can add to make things as smooth as possible.
4. Work style related Conflicts People have different styles of working. Some people prefer to work in groups while others do their best work alone. Some people need no extra direction to complete a task, while others like external input and direction every step of the way.
The same idea of mutual respect and understanding applies here, as well as throughout all workplace conflicts and any interaction involving other people. We may prefer a particular work style, but sometimes in groups, teams must collaborate to come up with an idea greater than one mind could think up alone – meaning we have to learn to deal with each other’s differences.
5. Conflict of Ideas Conflict when it comes creativity is actually an excellent opportunity to make the idea even better. But usually the issue of disagreeing and overruling each other for credit comes up and people in teams generally miss out on the best solutions that they all can come out with. Instead employees can openly discuss their thoughts and look for a golden mean compromise leading to better outcome spawning from the collaboration.
Conflicts can and should be managed and resolved, we shall talk about the solutions in the next blog on Dealing with Differences at Workplace.
