Resolving Workplace Conflict

Can We Talk?

When a manager has well-intentioned, well-regarded team members at war, he or she can usually defuse the conflict. But when people can’t work out their disagreements, bringing them together with a facilitator (especially if they work in different locations) can often help them gain enough perspective and understanding to hit the reset button on their relationship.

Colleagues with a history of conflict will not become fast friends, but can ideally improve their relationship enough to start communicating and working better together.

What we do:

• conduct a needs assessment by having one-on-one, confidential conversations with the people involved, and their managers
• determine the level of trust, willingness to improve the relationship, and openness to change
• present recommendations for next steps, including facilitation, if necessary
• facilitate conversations between the people who are struggling to work together (e.g., two employees; an employee and his/her boss; members of a team)
• jointly administer and interpret personality preference instruments, such as the Myers-Briggs and FIRO-B, to normalize conversations about previously undiscussable or incendiary issues
• speak with the participants separately and confidentially to help them prepare, and debrief with them after facilitated conversations
• provide short-term executive coaching to those involved, if needed
• when organizational issues are igniting or exacerbating the conflict, clarify roles, structure, and processes
• if a team is struggling, deliver a half-day FIRO-B team workshop to understand the causes of conflict and to teach team members to interact in more positive ways

DOWNLOAD: Debra_Howard_FIROB_Workshop.pdf