9 Tips for Avoiding Conflict with Coworkers
6. Listen before you speak
It may seem so obvious but often anger takes over you and you find yourself speaking and not listening at all. So instead to throwing your opinions in front of your coworkers, listen to their part of the story too. Genuinely try to understand their point of view before you give your opinion. Often things may appear to be different than they actually are. Hence, listening is very important.
7. Find an intermediary
Often it doesn’t take time for a difference in opinion to turn into pig-headed combats. If you find yourself into such a terrible situation, probably the best solution is to find a intermediary. A mediator might be in a better position to point both yours and your coworker’s mistakes in a conflict in a much unbiased manner. He will help you to see an area which you are not able to see because of your anger. This is the best part involving a third party observer, as it will help to bring the conflict to a conclusion that is fair for everybody.
8. Be fun to work with
A great way to keep conflict at work at bay is by being someone who everyone would like to be around. Be humorous, yet keep it minimal. Learn to laugh at yourself at times. Be a positive radiant light that everyone looks up to. Be someone others would like to talk to for advice. Your coworkers are your professional family. Treat them with kindness. No one likes to have a conflict with someone they love. The more likable you are at work, the lesser conflicts are likely to occur with you.
9. Treat conflict as an opportunity
In spite of trying to avoid conflict, if a conflict should occur, don’t get disheartened. Treat it like a learning opportunity. Everything in life teaches us something. So let this too be a learning to you. Often disagreement is a sign for great potential growth and development.
Follow these tips and you will find yourself being in a much better position to avoid conflicts with your coworkers.
