The Approach That Can Handle Conflicts Within Diverse Team
Conflict within the team is a normal phenomenon. If we are not able to resolve this issue and manage it, it will make the team’s performance less efficient.
But how can we make a team’s conflict work in favor of the whole group? What should be done when there is a conflict? How can we make the conflict happen with a positive outcome?
These are some of the questions that you will be able to answer in this article.
Why People Have Conflicts?
The reason why people have conflicts is that they have different views on certain topics. They may have different opinions on what they think or feel about something or they may think that they are right while their colleagues think that they are wrong.
Some people do not agree with each other’s views because they believe that they have no right to disagree. This situation will create a conflict between them.
If one of them has something important to say, he/she cannot avoid saying it and if he/she wants to solve this problem, he/she cannot find any way other than through an argumentation which could lead to more conflicts between them.
This is not only caused by those who disagree with each other but also by those who do not want to agree with each other’s opinion.
It is hard to find a solution to this problem when we do not know how to deal with this conflict. We can try to avoid conflict by avoiding people who have different opinions, but this approach will also decrease the benefits of having diversity in your team.
This is why you need to make your conflict management work with diversity. If you do not make it work with diversity, your team will be less efficient and this situation will create problems for you and the organization.
It is necessary to handle this conflict in a way that does not cause any harm to the team or the organization. It is also necessary to handle this conflict in a way that we can use it as an opportunity to increase our efficiency and improve our performance.
So, what approach can we use to handle conflicts in a diverse team?
1. Use Active Listening
This is the first step that you should take in your conflict management. Active listening is a communication technique that can be used to deal with any conflict that you may have with other people.
It is also a way to understand what the other person is saying and it can also be used to help the other person find solutions to their problems.
This method can help you to know what the other person thinks about something and how they feel about it. This method can also help you to understand why the other person thinks that way and how they feel about it.
If you want to find a solution, you will need this information and you will need this information before starting an argumentation.
2. Look for Mutual Goal
If you want to solve your conflict, you need to know what is the purpose of your disagreement. You also need to know what is the goal that you want to achieve together.
You should always look for a mutual goal that will help you to reach a common solution. If you have this goal, there will be no problem in finding a solution out of your team conflict.
3. Know When It Is Time To Stop
You should know when it is time to stop arguing and when it is time to reach a compromise.
There are some situations where we can decide whether we are going to solve our problem or not by ourselves or with the help of other people and we can also decide whether we are going to keep on arguing or whether we are going to find a compromise that will help us reach our goals.
But this decision depends on us and on how we feel about something. If we feel like arguing, then it is better for us not to stop until we find a solution or until our opponent agrees with us about something and this can be the most effective way of dealing with conflicts within the team.
4. Use Problem Solving
If you have decided to solve your problem with the help of other people, you should start with a problem-solving process. This process will help you to find a solution that is acceptable for both of you and it will also help you to reach a compromise.
In this process, the two parties work together to find a solution that is acceptable for both of them and they also make sure that their goals are achieved at the same time. The key element in this process is communication.
You need to communicate your ideas and solutions with each other and make sure that you understand each other’s ideas and feelings about it before finding a solution or before reaching an agreement about something.
5. Respond, Not React
Do not forget that disagreement happens when you have two different opinions. You should not use disagreement to attack your opponent. If you are going to react, then you will lose the possibility of finding a solution.
You should try to respond to your colleague’s arguments. This is the best way of dealing with conflict within the team.
You can also try to see the reason why your colleague has different opinions than you do and why they think that they are right while you think that they are wrong. Then, try to find a solution for it and reach an agreement about it before continuing with your disagreement.
6. Be Flexible With Your Ideas
If you have different ideas about something, then you need to know that this is normal in a team where there are people who have different opinions than you do.
If your ideas are not acceptable to someone else, then this person can ask you questions or give some suggestions about how to solve your problem so that he/she can make sure that he/she will accept what you have said or what you want him/her to do as long as it does not cause any harm for him/her or the organization.
In Conclusion:
These are some of the steps that you can take in your conflict management. This will help you to handle your disagreement in a way that will not harm the team or the organization.
You should always remember that you should respond to your colleague’s arguments, not to attack him/her. Pay attention to your communication styles and body language. Make sure you reach mutual understanding without sacrificing your team’s benefits of diversity.
About the Author
I hope that my post has helped you know more about Conflict Management. Feel free to leave a comment and tag me and I will answer them. Follow my profile to get the latest content I post to stay ahead of the curve.
I am the Founder of Cudy Technologies, a full-stack EdTech startup helping teachers and students learn better. I am also a mentor and angel investor in other Startups of my other interests (Proptech, Fintech, HRtech, Ride-hailing, C2C marketplaces, and SaaS). You can also find me on Cudy for early-stage Startup Founder mentorship and advice.
Connect with me on LinkedIn if you have further questions. Let me know that you are a reader of my Medium posts in your invitation message.
