Difficult Relationships at Work - Dealing with Workplace Conflict

Written by Charlotte Burton


Difficult Relationships at Work - How to Influencerepparttar Uncooperative

We rely on and spend more time with our colleagues than with most other people in our lives: yet we frequently experience conflict at work. This is a problem that is beginning to be recognised, but it is still not being dealt with either effectively or sufficiently. Conflict is such a broad term for what can be experienced, ranging from office gossip to outright bullying. In nearly every single office there are always going to be personality clashes at some point, and most ofrepparttar 147051 time they will be fairly easily sorted out. However, sometimes they aren't and there is often no other option than to resign. The real problem underlying this situation is that people really don't haverepparttar 147052 skills to deal with these kinds of situations. They frequently acceptrepparttar 147053 problem when it is happening and then get really upset afterwards.

The Five Strategies for Dealing with Conflict

1.Avoidance

This isrepparttar 147054 most frequently used strategy along with accommodation. Here conflict is avoided and when it does appearrepparttar 147055 person using this strategy refuses to engage inrepparttar 147056 situation.

Example: Someone making a sly comment andrepparttar 147057 person it was aimed at simply walking away.

While this obviously is not a good way of dealing with conflictrepparttar 147058 majority ofrepparttar 147059 time as it tends not to help, it is worth being considered as a strategy for whenrepparttar 147060 conflict is just not worthrepparttar 147061 effort of being addressed.

2.Accommodation

Here you takerepparttar 147062 conflict and submit.

Example: Listening to unhelpful criticism and believing it.

Again, very frequently used especially where there is low confidence and self-esteem. This is another not very successful method of dealing with conflict, but it will do if you know that there is a solution coming soon.

3.Compete

This one means that you playrepparttar 147063 person at his or her own game and work hard to get your own way inrepparttar 147064 conflict.

Example: Someone starts spreading rumours about you, so you dorepparttar 147065 same in return in an attempt to discreditrepparttar 147066 power ofrepparttar 147067 other person's word.

This can be very useful whenrepparttar 147068 conflict is mild and you are passionate about your stance, but can lead to a vicious circle asrepparttar 147069 conflict escalates. Be very sure you want to use this strategy as lowering yourself to someone else's level rarely shows you inrepparttar 147070 best light.

4.Compromise

A much more useful tactic to use: here you don't give in torepparttar 147071 conflict, but work out a solution somewhere betweenrepparttar 147072 two sides.

Example: Someone delegates a huge amount of work to your already over-filled plate, you respond by taking on some of it, and then recommending that this person parcel outrepparttar 147073 rest to other people.

This isrepparttar 147074 strategy of choice for most untrained managers as this is how we frequently deal with children in real life - and so it is a behaviour we all know about. This can of course lead torepparttar 147075 obvious downfall ofrepparttar 147076 actual solution leaving none ofrepparttar 147077 sides happy. This is best to use whenrepparttar 147078 goal is to get pastrepparttar 147079 issue and move on - withrepparttar 147080 issue having relatively little significance.

5.Collaborate

The most useful tactic, particularly with extremes of conflict such as bullying. The aim here is to focus on working together to arrive at a solution, where both sides have ownership of and commitment torepparttar 147081 solution.

Example 1: You and someone else are at completely opposed viewpoints over a project. You sit down with them and work out why they believe in their point of view, and explain your own. Clever and lateral thinking can provide a solution, which answers both sides, but is not a compromise.

Example 2: Someone is bullying you at work. You talk to this person usingrepparttar 147082 strategies below and collaborate on modifying their behaviour.

Use this strategy whenrepparttar 147083 goal is to meet as many ofrepparttar 147084 current needs as is possible. The most difficult strategy if confidence is low as it involves actually namingrepparttar 147085 issue torepparttar 147086 conflict-creator, which can cause huge anxiety and fear.

Fun At Work Leads To More Success

Written by Ramon Greenwood


Fun At Work Leads To More Success by Ramon Greenwood

Such qualities as loyalty, energy, intelligence and hard work are certain to be in any consensus of what it takes to build a successful career.

“However, there’s another essential ingredient that is too often overlooked,” says Ramon Greenwood, senior career counselor at CommonSenseAtWork.com> “That is having fun onrepparttar job.”

In fact, most of us are downright ambivalent when it comes torepparttar 147021 subject of fun onrepparttar 147022 job and taking leisure time away from work. It is easy to argue both sides ofrepparttar 147023 issue.

You’ve heardrepparttar 147024 axiom, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Well, it is true.

A macho point of view has beenrepparttar 147025 order ofrepparttar 147026 day among some ambitious careerists. It expresses itself through a sort of masochistic drive to work more hours thanrepparttar 147027 next fellow, never take a vacation and otherwise rejectrepparttar 147028 idea that work can be fun.

Unfortunately, many companies pay only lip service to vacations and then impose a guilt trip on those who get away.

Jon Neulinger, author of The Psychology of Leisure states flatly, “Those not interested in doing anything but work are not likely to be CEOs.”

He thinks most Americans do not spend enough time seeking leisure, which is more than just piddling away spare time.

Leisure Is A State Of Mind

True leisure, Neulinger says, is a state of mind. It comes about when a person engages in an activity that produces satisfaction, control and freedom. It is this state of mind that is so essential torepparttar 147029 human psyche. It is what providesrepparttar 147030 regenerative, therapeutic quality of leisure.

Studies show that a sense of humor, in proper dosage, can boost creativity and productivity, as well as takerepparttar 147031 air out of tense situations.

According to Greenwood, it can help you landrepparttar 147032 job you want. One study revealed that 98 percent of over 700 chief executive officers interviewed preferred job candidates who have a sense of humor over those who don’t.

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