Workplace

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Communication Conflicts Workplace

Best Methods for Resolving Workplace Conflicts

Conflict resolution should be a be a skill in every workplace manager’s arsenal. With more than half of American workers reporting feeling dissatisfied with their work situations, managers must recognize the role conflict plays in employee retention and turnover rates as well as overall productivity. Workplace conflicts can breed resentments among coworkers and deteriorate the culture of any company, but they can also become opportunities for growth when leveraged appropriately.

Encourage Internal Resolutions

As a manager confronted with a conflict between two or more employees who report to you, one of the best steps to take to solve a workplace conflict as quickly and effectively as possible is to encourage an honest and productive discussion between the parties involved. Perhaps two of your direct reports disagree about a particular workflow or some uncertainty exists concerning job responsibilities for a particular project. Encourage the employees who report conflicts to sit down for a civil, mediated, and productive conversation. Passive aggressiveness and unwillingness to start open dialogue are some of the most common driving forces behind ongoing workplace conflicts.

Practice Active Listening and Encourage Others to Do the Same

Many people struggle with honest communication and conflict resolution because of an unwillingness to listen actively to others’ points of view. Too many people simply wait for their turns to speak instead of actively listening to the other side of the dialogue. When you initiate conflict resolution with your team, make sure the participants are actually listening to one another and absorbing each other’s points of view. Encourage them to ask for clarification when necessary or to paraphrase each other’s statements back to each other before replying to ensure nothing is lost in translation.

Identify Unworkable Problems

When a conflict arises from a disagreement over a work process, that is a workable problem with many potential solutions. However, if you encounter any type of conflict that is unworkable, such as an abusive employee or an employee who has actively harassed others or engaged in willfully malicious conduct against others, there is no other option other than to investigate the issue extensively and take appropriate action to rectify the issue.

Brainstorm Solutions

As a manager, your goal with any conflict resolution should not be to issue a decree as too how all parties involved will proceed, but rather to help those parties develop a cohesive and mutually agreeable solution together. As you engage in discussions about the conflict, help your employees recognize potential solutions and develop a list of potential outcomes. This can provide much-needed perspective and help reach the best possible solution.

Ensure Agreement on the Solution and Respect Going Forward

When you conclude a conflict resolution discussion with your team, ensure everyone is on the same page moving forward and encourage those involved in the conflict to shake hands and thank one another for resolving the conflict professionally. Ensuring your team is satisfied with the result of your discussion and ready to move on is the crucial final step for conflict resolution in any workplace.

Conflicts at work are an undeniable and unavoidable reality; when people work together for a long time, they will inevitably encounter disagreements. Speedy and decisive conflict resolution helps preserve a healthy working environment for everyone and minimizes lost productivity from ongoing internal conflicts. Keep these tips in mind the next time you notice any type of workplace conflict among your team members.

Additional Resources:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/303617
https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/02/22/5-keys-to-dealing-with-workplace-conflict/#b8cdc091e95c
https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/articles/how-to-handle-conflict-in-the-workplace
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidsturt/2018/03/08/10-shocking-workplace-stats-you-need-to-know/#5ab46ab3f3af

 

Communication Teamwork Workplace

Guidelines for Effective Communication and Teamwork

effecitve communication at work

A successful business hinges on the productivity and morale of its employees. Although a company’s general work environment may be conducive to individual productivity, faulty communication and boundaries among team members could cause issues. Improving teamwork within the workplace comes with establishing a few key guidelines that will encourage efficient communication and discourage habits that have been hurting team dynamics.

Encourage Effective Communication

Effective communication comes in many forms, but one goal that all communication should gear towards is clearly giving/receiving a message. Set ground rules that will foster clear communication between co-workers; these ground rules will reduce arguments caused by misunderstanding.

  • Remove distractions during conversations – It’s difficult to clearly communicate an idea to an individual who is distracted on their phone while you are talking. During meetings and team discussion, employees should put their devices away.
  • Regulate off-the-clock calls – Set ground rules for when communication that happens outside of work. For instance, this could mean limiting work-related calls after work hours to emergency situations only. Team members who excessively pester each other outside of work tend to foster more tension inside the workroom.
  • Encourage full-disclosure – Encourage team members to remain honest when discussing ideas. Effective communication means talking about the things that aren’t working, too. Bringing these topics to light will boost morale rather than hurt it, especially when the concerned team member receives respect and active listening to their own ideas in return.
  • Provide conflict management – Set up a conflict management plan for employees to use when disagreements arise. Model how this would look like in practice and be open to receiving input and revising the plan dependent on what works for your employees.

Tips for Working as a Team

  • Become an active listener – Even without distraction, some employees tend to zone out when other co-workers are pitching ideas of discussing other matters. Active listening takes the passive aspect out of being an audience-member. Ask questions for clarification, add your own ideas after respectfully listening, and reflect on what the discussion achieved.
  • Be open to constructive criticism – Be open to receiving feedback about both the things you are doing well and what you could improve. Remaining flexible in your outlook can be difficult at first but everyone has room to grow. Ask for clarification and communicate about your growth rather than dwelling on imperfection.
  • Don’t complain – Complaining about issues versus discussing them and complaining about things that can’t change are two negative habits that hurt both the employee and team morale. Stay positive even about things you can’t change, and this will translate into your work.
  • Clarify roles – In team-driven settings, clarify what each coworker is doing to contribute to the team. Miscommunication often happens when employees are unclear about their roles within a team.

Effective team dynamics does not always come naturally. When you expect opposing personality-types to work together, setting guidelines for coworker interaction is the best bet in fostering respectful, effective communication. Though it may take time for effective communication to build within a team, transparently adhering to set guidelines will eventually build a natural team dynamic that will enhance the workplace.

Additional Resources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2018/06/14/six-ways-to-improve-team-collaboration-and-enhance-productivity/#196f75a72037
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/teamwork/7-tips-to-help-you-improve-your-teamwork-skills/
https://www.predictivesuccess.com/blog/24-hours-to-improving-teamwork/

Time management Workplace

5 Ways to Effectively Manage Your Work Time

how to manage your time

Everyone has 24 hours a day, yet some people can accomplish more tasks within this time than others. One of the most essential skills a successful professional must have is excellent time management. Every individual has his or her own ways to organize time and complete jobs in a prompt manner. However, there are some basic techniques anyone can use to better manage time.

1. Observe Your Behavior

Before you implement any specific time management tactics, you must observe what exactly causes the waste or misuse of time. To do so, think of time management as not the actual management of time, but the management of your behaviors. Go through a regular work day, but keep track of any behaviors or actions you take that waste time. Take note of how much time each task requires. Understanding these behaviors is the first step to correcting them and using time more effectively.

2. Create a Plan and Deadlines

Now that you have a better understanding of your schedule, it is time to create a specific plan based on how much time you will spend on each activity. Prioritize the work that needs to be completed earlier or the level of difficulty. Create specific deadlines for each task so you can stay focused on completing it before the time. Try to estimate an adequate time slot depending on the challenge level or volume of the task. Also, establish buffer periods in case you run behind schedule or simply need a break between tasks.

3. Take the Heaviest Work First

The morning is usually the best time to complete tasks, as this is the time of the day where you will have the most energy and alertness. Not only is this the best time to complete objectives, but it is also the ideal time to complete the more difficult or heavy assignments first. You will focus most of your time, energy, and resources into something that needs it first. If you manage to get a difficult assignment out of the way early on, it may also provide motivation to get through shorter or easier tasks for the rest of the day.

4. Learn to Delegate

Sometimes the work load is filled with several tasks that are not important, but still eat up a significant amount of time that could be spent on more important assignments. If you can, delegate this work to other qualified team members or hire a freelancer or assistant. The time and money you spend hiring or training someone to delegate tasks to can be a valuable investment.

5. Use Organization Tools

There are always new advancements and innovations in technology that will make it easier to structure time and keep you on schedule. For example, online calendars such as Outlook, Google Calendar, or Apple Calendar allow you to create time blocks, set up appointments, and establish reminders for each. You can also access these tools from any computer or mobile device.

Everyone has different strategies to organize their work time. However, these suggestions help establish basic time management that can always be rearranged or adapted to each individual. Managing your time effectively will allow you to finish work on time and boost your reputation in the workplace.

Additional Resources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnrampton/2018/05/01/manipulate-time-with-these-powerful-20-time-management-tips/
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/time-management-tips-2947336
https://www.thestreet.com/lifestyle/time-management-tips-14819816
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-ways-improve-your-time-management-skills.html

 

Career Coaching Communication Workplace

4 Ways to Fix Your Next Communication Breakdown

communication breakdowns

Have you ever been the victim of a communication breakdown? There’s nothing more frustrating than failing to complete a task on time or to the best of your ability because of a miscommunication between a coworker, client, or boss. Fortunately, there are things you can do to improve communication and customer satisfaction. Try one of these strategies to avoid communication breakdown:

Be Upfront About Expectations and Goals

Workplace communication becomes a lot easier when you’re all coming from the same place. Don’t kick off a brainstorming session or meeting by assuming everyone knows their roles, goals, and other action items. This leads to missed deadlines, unclear objectives, and confusion about roles.

Start every meeting with a review of your action items and when to expect deadlines and other assignments. Once assigning who is responsible for what, send a follow-up email or call to confirm.

Avoid Over-Communication

avoid communication breakdownsAt the same time, be wary about communicating too much with your employees and teammates. If you’re sending someone 20 emails a day, they’re more likely to tune you out. Communication breakdowns can result from the best intentions. Instead of haranguing your workmates virtually, consider following this golden rule: a dozen exchanges an hour between all team members can maximize productivity – any more will actually detract from your efforts.

Communicate Wisely

At the same time, not all communication is created equally. According to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, email can be an ineffective way to complete work tasks. If you want to know how to avoid a communication breakdown, consider this tried-and-true method: a good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation. According to a recent study, over 35% of a team’s performance is attributable to their face-to-face exchanges.

However, this doesn’t mean that you need to call a board meeting every day. Simple, informal exchanges like coffee breaks can be just as effectual. If you’re spread out over multiple companies, consider adding video collaboration to your routine.

Leverage Collaborative Technology

Finally, technology makes it easy for us to collaborate effectively. Consider using Slack for quick team exchanges and Trello to keep track of items on your to-do list. With a little prioritization and organizing, you and your team can eliminate communication breakdowns and complete your tasks on time and to the best of your ability. Apply one of these tips to your next project and see your productivity skyrocket. A job well done is worth celebrating!

Additional Resources:

 

Communication News Workplace

Undoing the Effects of Stress on Workplace Communication

Copy of Do You Look Like A Successful Entrepreneur-

Stress at work continues to have a huge impact on businesses. According to Health Advocate’s Stress in the Workplace Study, there are about one million workers who will miss work each day because of stress, costing companies each year an estimated $602 per employee. But the impact on workers isn’t solely related to health issues and absenteeism. Most employees would agree that workplace stresses can negatively impact performance –  decreased concentration, motivation, memory, decision-making capability –  and degrade overall productivity.

One area, though, that is often overlooked when it comes to the effects of stress in the workplace is communication.  You may not even realize that your high stress levels could lead to your giving misinformation or incomplete information. A lack of effective and informed communication can be detrimental to any workplace environment. If left unaddressed, it could ultimately cost you your job.

Communicating While Under Stress

You may not be able to remove all the daily stresses you face at work, but there are steps you can take to make sure your communication is not being negatively impacted. University of Illinois Extension’s Communicating Under Pressure info graphic provides a three-part approach that you can start implementing right now at work.

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Additional Resources:

so-you-want-to-be-a-solopreneur-3

Coaching Communication Leadership News Workplace

Communication Skills Vital to the Workplace

communication breakdowns

Regardless of the Industry, Communication is Vital to Keep Your Team Running Smoothly.

Everyone in your office should be able to effectively address managers, staff, and colleagues. They also have to reach across multiple platforms, including email and social media.

7 Skills You Need To Communicate Effectively

1. Listen well. Paying attention to others is half the conversation, so you need people who can truly listen.

2. Read/display nonverbal cues. Being able to decipher and project silent cues is important – it’s why some people seem so approachable and others are intimidating.

3. Speak with clarity. Employees need to be able to convey their points quickly and clearly. Rambling can cause the listener to lose interest or become confused.

4. Project confidence. There needs to be a feeling of comfort in every conversation. Employees should exude confidence to foster the best communication.

5. Be friendly. Employers greatly prize this skill. When you can greet others with an encouraging presence, you’ll foster all sorts of communication.

6. Be flexible. Part of good communication is a willingness to reconsider, change, and approach issues with an open mind.

7. Feel sympathy. It’s not enough to listen to another person’s situation. Your employees have to bond emotionally if you want the best communication.

4 Ways Good Employees Become Better Communicators

Your employees don’t have to be distinguished at communicating from the get-go. There are ways people can learn to share their feelings and ideas more effectively through practice and hard work. If workers want to get better, they should:

workplace communication1. Set a clear idea for every conversation. When they know the desired outcome, they’ll be able to present themselves as effectively as possible.

2. Craft a reputation by communicating. Trust is something one must build, and engaging with other employees regularly is a great way to foster that feeling.

3. Stay humble. Your employees should never flaunt their advantages, no matter what they are. Instead of bragging about money/possessions/position, etc., they should leave their egos behind.

4. Think about timing. There are opportunities for everything. Employees should be able to decipher moods and decide if a conversation is a good idea.

Communication skills and a willingness on behalf of your employees to learn the best approaches are truly valuable assets to your business. The more successful they are in communicating with your prospects and clients, the more successful your business will be in the long run.

Additional Resources:

https://www.moneycrashers.com/effective-workplace-communication-skills/
https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/09/03/how-to-be-a-better-communicator-in-the-workplace

 

so-you-want-to-be-a-solopreneur-4

Coaching Communication Workplace

3 Ways to Improve Communication in the Workplace

communication breakdowns

No matter your field, communication skills are a must.

Poor communication leads to mistakes, some of which can be irreparable and can damage your reputation with employees and clients. However, good business communication is a learned skill, and you can improve your skills. Familiarizing yourself with some basic rules will dramatically improve communication in your workplace.

Be Careful With Email

Email is a great tool – it allows employees to pass messages quickly and easily organize reams of information. Email has its downsides, though. For one thing, it is not always secure. Sometimes people you didn’t want to see a message end up knowing sensitive information before they should. Other times, a stray email can make a department worry about matters that don’t affect it. Always make sure your email accounts are secure and that you send messages only to those who need them.

Additionally, be careful when phrasing emails. Do not use all caps or excessive punctuation. This makes the reader feel you’re yelling at him or her. Don’t use sarcasm, even if you think the reader will take it as meant. Be as formal and polite as possible.

Office Teamwork

Collaborate Often

Employees don’t like to feel isolated, but they do like to bounce ideas off each other. Collaborative work makes this possible. Assign team projects often. If you can’t, use computer and email applications that let different people work on the same documents. This lets employees see and respond to each other’s ideas and changes in real time.

Encourage Speaking Up

Some workplaces don’t encourage employees to speak up. Sometimes employees fear discipline if they offer a dissenting opinion. Don’t let your workplace become one of these environments. Encourage employees to share their likes, dislikes, needs, and struggles. You may find that many employees share the same concerns, which makes it easier to implement changes.

Additional Resources:
https://www.smallbizdaily.com/3-tips-for-improving-communication-within-your-new-business/
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm

 

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