Professional Business Coaching Can Help Companies Leverage Conflict
Conflict is inevitable in business
Conflict is inevitable in business. We have different opinions and viewpoints, approach problems and solutions differently, and generally experience the world and the workplace in different ways. In a word, were different. And thats a good thing, especially in business.
Conflict takes many forms. It can occur between coworkers, between managers and subordinates, and between employees and customers. Companies can either decide to view conflict as inherently negative, trying to avoid it whenever possible, or they can embrace and leverage conflict to create positive change.
Accepting conflict as the natural growing pains of your business can help you identify areas that need improvement and inspire creative solutions that propel the business forward. But in order to take advantage of conflict, its important to be able to manage it effectively. Professional business coaching firms can be instrumental in conflict management because they are objective and have proven strategies for using conflict to a companys advantage.
Lets look at the common causes of conflict and how it affects individuals and groups of employees. Here are a few reasons conflict occurs in the workplace:
Disagreements about goals, priorities, and needs
Different values, perceptions, and attitudes
Not having enough people or financial resources to get the job done
Poor communication
An organizational structure that seems arbitrary and slanted to one individual
A perceived lack of teamwork and/or a feeling that some peoples ideas are more important than others
Not having a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities
Professional business coaching firms generally segment conflict in the workplace into three areas: conflict between employees, conflict between groups of employees, and conflict within groups of employees. All of these conflicts are healthy in a growing company and, actually, are often necessary if the business is going to thrive.
Conflict between employees is often a result of differing personalities and styles of communication. Interpersonal conflicts can be volatile so its important for managers to recognize the signs of conflicts between individuals so they can be proactive in resolving disputes before they get out of hand. Typical signs include intentionally undermining one another and refusing to cooperate, needlessly contradicting each other, and ignoring one another completely.
Conflict can also arise between groups of employees. This often happens in departments where, for example, employees in the marketing department think theyre better than employees in the IT department. Professional business coaching firms will tell you that a little competition is healthy, but every department must work together as a team to achieve the goals of the organization. Just as with individuals, managers need to be keenly aware of their entire departments behavior and have a plan of action to resolve conflicts before they become openly destructive. Signs of conflict between groups of employees include:
Departments blatantly bad-mouthing other departments in meetings, on emails, or in other public ways
One department being excluded from meetings or events that should include everyone, or even smaller groups within the department meeting separately to either directly or indirectly undermine the larger group
With the help of a professional business coaching firm, companies can learn ways to leverage conflict to create an environment where all ideas and opinions are valid, and everyone can be heard and respected. Whether between individuals, between departments, or within departments, conflict is almost always a positive thing as long as the corporate culture encourages lively debates. When employees know that their ideas will be taken into consideration, new ways of approaching challenges can inspire growth and, ultimately, produce a better product or service.
If you want to learn more about conflict management and innovative ways to turn conflicts into drivers of corporate development and improvement, contact a professional business coaching firm that specializes in successfully managing conflict for positive change. Visit www.ThinkBlueThinking.com or call 619.550.8052.
by: Bruno Raynal
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