Tips for Resolving Office Warfare
If you thought an executive’s task of battling other companies in the marketplace of ideas was difficult, consider this: most spend at least six hours a week, on average, dealing with the interpersonal conflicts of their own employees.
That’s according to a new survey out from the staffing firm Accountemps. Their study of CFOs found such home-front disputes eat up 15 percent of executive time, or about six hours a week. These results line up with similar studies that have been conducted for nearly three decades.
“The more time managers spend reducing friction between coworkers, the less time they have for tackling business priorities,” said Mike Steinitz, executive director of Accountemps. “Company leaders should proactively look for ways to build rapport among colleagues to help curb issues before they arise.”
While common sense dictates that no company’s workers will get along 100 percent of the time, there are ways to encourage a culture of conflict resolution within an organization. That way, workers can resolve disputes on their own without feeling led to escalate every disagreement to upper management.
Experts recommend the following principles:
1. Empathize
Take care to understand situations from coworkers’ perspectives. Listening and attempting to consider issues from other points of view can defuse many arguments.
2. Handle conflicts quickly
Make an effort to resolve any differences as soon as they arise. Ignoring conflicts will turn them into grudges that can be much harder to resolve.
3. When necessary, invite a third party
If conflicts cannot be resolved easily, employees should ask a manager or HR representative to weight in. An experienced third set of eyes can help move the conflict forward.
4. Bury the hatchet
Once all parties reach an agreement, let the conflict go. Don’t bring it up in the future, but treat it as a learning experience.
In the interview process, it’s important to exhibit these same skills. Employers are looking for someone who will take the initiative and grow into a leader, and the ability to handle and manage conflict is key.
Experts say to know the answer to the following questions:
1. Would you rather be liked or feared?
The interviewer wants to understand your management style. Find a balance for a middle ground. If you only say that you want to be liked, the interviewer might think you are a pushover. If you say that you need to be feared, you’ll come off as a dictator.
2. Do you have a favorite quote?
By requesting your favorite quote, the interviewer will be able to gain better insight into your character. Select something that is not too revealing personally or shows a leaning towards controversial opinions. Focus on a quote about leadership or work ethics.
3. Can you describe a situation in which you led a team?
Provide an example of your leadership abilities that would be relevant to the job you are applying for. You might want to reiterate that you led but also worked as a team, such as: “I really enjoyed the experience as I was able to train and support my peers. We all shined together as a team.”
5. How have you helped resolve a dispute between others?
People that can take on leadership roles and resolve problems are heavily valued. Provide an example where you can demonstrate your leadership abilities to resolve a conflict. Explain the problem, the action that you took and the end result.
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