3. Understanding the WIIFM Factor: Understanding the other professionals WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) position is critical. It is essential to understand other’s motivations prior to weighing in. The way to avoid conflict is to help those around you achieve their objectives. If you approach conflict from the perspective of taking the action that will help others best achieve their goals, you will find few obstacles will stand in your way of resolving conflict.
4. The Importance Factor: Pick your battles and avoid conflict for the sake of conflict. However, if the issue is important enough to create a conflict, then it is surely important enough to resolve. If the issue, circumstance, or situation is important enough, and there is enough at stake, people will do what is necessary to open lines of communication and close positional and/or philosophical gaps.
5. View Conflict as Opportunity: Hidden within virtually every conflict is the potential for a tremendous teaching/learning opportunity. Where there is disagreement, there is an inherent potential for growth and development. If you’re a CEO, who doesn’t leverage conflict for team building and leadership development purposes, you’re missing a great opportunity. Divergent positions addressed properly can stimulate innovation and learning in ways like minds can’t even imagine. Smart leaders look for the upside in all differing opinions. Bottom line…
I believe a resolution can normally be found in conflicts where there is a sincere desire to do so. Turning the other cheek, compromise, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, finding common ground, being an active listener, service above self, and numerous other approaches will always allow one to be successful in building rapport if the underlying desire is strong enough. However, when all else fails and positional gaps cannot be closed, resolve the issue not by playing favorites, but by doing the right thing.”
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–This is a great article to review as we begin this conversation. I believe staying authentic with a helping attitude is the key. I will discuss communication in the workplace further live on The CelestineVision Community Radio Show, Monday, February 15, 2015. Find this episode in the Archives at https://celestinevision.com/media/listen-live/ after the air date.
Here are some questions to review before you listen to this week’s show:
When was the last time you experienced a “Power Struggle” in a creative situation? How did you handle it?
Recall the last time you experienced a magical flow of creativity with others, where everyone was contributing spontaneously yet effectively?
How did you feel in each circumstance?
What were the factors that seemed to determine whether this flow happened or not?
