Win for You: Defuse the Fire

Win for You:

• Define Acceptable Behavior
  • Set the tone and guidelines.
• Don’t Avoid Conflict
  • Not addressing conflict leads to bigger problems down the road.
• Choose a Neutral Location
  • Meet outside the office in a more comfortable atmosphere, e.g. coffee shop.
• Start with a Compliment
  • Get the individual(s) comfortable enough to talk, start with a compliment.
• Don’t Jump to Conclusions
  • The reasons for conflict are more complex than they appear
• Think Opportunistically, Not Punitively
  • Sometimes consequences are necessary but many times conflict is sparked by passionate people with differing viewpoints.
• Offer Guidance, Not Solutions
  • Help the team work together to resolve conflict so that you do not appear to be taking sides.
• Constructive Criticism
  • It allows you to address the problem while also providing support for the good work that has been done.
• Don’t Intimidate
  • Teams never learn anything when fear is used as a tool for correction.
• Act Decisively
  • Once a resolution is in place, be sure to follow through immediately while it is still fresh in everyone’s minds.