Conflict Management in the Workplace: How to Deal with Conflict as a Manager
This is an article about Conflict Management, written by an experienced Management 3.0 Facilitator, Sarika Kharbanda from India. She calls herself a global change hacker and lean change agent who explores how to nudge change forward by understanding and valuing different perspectives – a trait that comes in handy when it comes to conflicts in teams.
Workplace conflicts quick links:
It’s a 9! No. It’s a 6! Why don’t you see things the way I do?
Team member 1: “You do not have time for a discussion with us or understand what challenges we face on the ground to develop and release products!”
Team member 2: “You do not understand our issues. You have not even attempted to see how the business actually functions on our floor!”
Team member 1: “We cannot trust you. You always miss your deadlines, as you will this time.”
Team member 2: “Your behavior does not inspire trust either!”
“Welcome to workplace conflict, Sarika!”, I say to myself.
How conflicts in organizations look
That is my induction into one of the Critical Product portfolio teams I am being asked to lead.
I’m already observing aggressive body language, discomfort, uneasiness, strain and tension in the words, pitch and tone of voices in the team. It isn’t something I hoped to start my induction with at all.
Well, s**t happens!
