See a video clip of Dr. Joanne Sujansky's Recent Appearance on Pittsburgh Today Live. To view the clip click here.
What is Employee Conflict Costing You?
Most employers are aware that discord between employees can be very disruptive. Conflicts can lower morale, interfere with productivity and result in missed goals. But do employee conflicts directly affect the bottom line? That's one conclusion from a new study released by international law firm Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P.
Their third annual survey of 422 corporate legal departments found that U.S. companies -- which are facing an explosion in lawsuits - identified employee-related litigation as their biggest concern. Last year the surveyed companies spent nearly $8.4 billion on litigation (58% of their total legal budget). Clearly employee-related disputes could have a negative impact on an organization's bottom line.
But, wouldn't it be a better investment of company resources to prevent employee lawsuits through better communication and conflict management? I've always thought so. Many of our client projects over the years have been devoted to resolving workplace conflicts by helping employees communicate more effectively. When an employee team begins to gel conflicts begin to wither away as employees learn to "speak the same language." It's not always easy to achieve this level of consensus, but here are several proven techniques:
- Avoid arguing - Let people present their positions clearly and logically. Listen to all team members' reactions and feedback.
- Don't approach the decision as a win-lose proposition - Every decision is a chance to create a new resolution if you're all willing to engage in give and take.
- Don't change your position just to avoid conflict -- Always weigh the alternatives and be clear about your reasons for changing positions. Remember that teams benefit more from considering ALL alternatives.
- Avoid simple conflict-reducing techniques - Teams often jump at shortcuts to making a decision by using techniques like majority votes, compromises, "splitting the difference," etc. These methods rarely result in the best decisions and usually just delay conflict until a future date.
- Accept differences of opinion - Differences are constructive; getting everyone's point of view is the best way to find the best solution, every though everyone may not fully agree. In the end you may have to just "agree to disagree" while agreeing to give one solution a try.
"We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses." -- Carl Gustav Jung
The Power of Differences
It would be a pretty dull world if we were all exactly alike. Fortunately, we're not, but it's our differences that inevitably raise conflicts between people. How we each perceive things, how we solve problems, and how we communicate can vary widely within an organization. Even when your people are in perfect agreement about their goals and objectives, discord can erupt over the best way to achieve those goals. In the end, it's that understanding that can transform our human differences into a powerful tool for creativity and success!
"A good manager doesn't try to eliminate conflict; he tries to keep it from wasting the energies of his people. If you're the boss and your people fight you openly when they think that you are wrong - that's healthy." -- Robert Townsend
What's Your Style?
To better understand workplace conflict -- and to resolve it -- you have to understand the preferences, strengths and weaknesses of yourself and your co-workers. Why do some people prefer quick decisions while others value careful deliberation? Why do some employees stress actions while others stress concepts? When we begin to see that there are others ways to think and act at work, we begin to understand how to work together better to achieve our common goals.
At KEYGroup we've had excellent success helping employees understand their differences so they can work together more effectively. Our tools of choice for this process are various individual assessments that can provide remarkable insights into human differences. And keep in mind that our instruments don't lay blame or point the finger of "right and wrong." These assessments only identify differences in people's penchants for thought and communication, which we characterize as a "style" preference, not as a character defect. Among our favorite assessments:
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) - Are you an extravert or an introvert? A thinker or a feeler? How do your preferences for processing information affect how you communicate and solve problems? The MBTI® is a classic assessment based on the pioneering work of Carl Jung. With the MBTI® you can gain rich insights into how individuals differ in energy, perception, decision-making and organization. It's great for either team or individual use.
- Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI - What do air traffic controllers, artists, storytellers and inventors have in common? They all share a high likelihood of being "right-brained." Based on Nobel prize-winning work, this instrument helps explain differences in thinking patterns, information processing and work preferences. It's a powerful catalyst for increased team effectiveness.
- Personal Profile System (DISC) - What do you and your coworkers bring to the table when you tackle a team project together? Do some team members always seem to take charge while others dig into the details? How does everyone's differing behavior patterns affect your teamwork? This widely used tool is a multi-level approach to exploring how personal behavior affects the professional environment through four key dimensions: dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness.
Our professionally trained and certified consultants can help you determine which instrument best suites the needs of your employees and organization. For more information on these and other individual assessments, visit http://www.keygroupconsulting.com/veo_assessments.php or call Dr. Jan Ferri-Reed at 1-800-456-5790.
