If you are a manager or director, do you compare your conflict in the workplace with other managers or directors?
Would you like to find out what issues other managers experience?
Do you want to learn strategies how you can resolve some of your conflicts?

If so, the next two articles are for you.  They contain information I gathered from recent workshops on Resolving Conflict in the Workplace.  Let me know your specific stress so I can write about topics that fit your needs.

Read the first article in the series “Why Conflict in the Workplace Research Matters: Part One.”

Conflict in the Workplace for Managers and Directors

I asked the following questions to managers and directors:

• Where do you need support from senior level executives?
• How would you rate the productivity of your meetings?
• What do you need from upper management to help you achieve company goals?
• What conflict in the workplace issues do you experience?

Here are some of their answers:

• I need more staff because my team and I are all stretched to the max.  They tell us that they can’t afford to hire, but we’re all frustrated and the customers are starting to complain.
• Star employees are leaving because we are not addressing their training issues.
• Many of our leaders don’t know how to conduct a meeting; consequently, many meetings are a waste of time.
• How can we reach company goals if I have to continually put out fires for my team?

Solutions to Resolve Conflict in the Workplace for Managers and Directors

1. I need more staff because my team and I are all stretched to the max.  They tell us that they can’t afford to hire, but we’re all frustrated and the customers are starting to complain

• Upper management needs to know about customer complaints.
• Meet with other managers and directors.
• Find solid evidence on how much the company is losing by not hiring qualified employees.

      2.  Star employees are leaving because we’re not addressing their training issues.

• Ask them to find online courses that interest them if training and continuous improvement are on their list.
• Proact and meet with star employees to discover what the company needs to keep them motivated.

   3.  Many of our leaders don’t know how to conduct a meeting and so many meetings are waste of time.

• Amazon has are numerous books on How to Conduct Productive Meetings.
• Purchase a few copies and conduct book reviews.
• Each team leader will share what new strategies they learned and discuss these gems.
• Ask employees how leaders can improve meetings.  This constructive feedback will be very helpful if it’s done with the right intent-positive feedback and not sarcasm!

4.  How can we reach company goals if I have to continually put out fires for my team?

• Delegate to your team leaders.
• Train them to resolve the conflict between employees or with customers.
• This will allow you to work on company goals and free up your time to do what you need to do.

Let’s Get Real About Conflict in the Workplace

The comments above are typical of many of my clients who are managers and directors.  All levels of an organization share their frustration and they want to resolve this conflict in the workplace.  I suggest that you conduct your own research with your employees.  Take the ideas from the articles in this series as a starting point for your own issues to discuss.

I want to hear from you

Send me an Email with your questions or comments on your frustrations and conflict in the workplace. You will receive a response from me because I enjoy connecting with my loyal readers!  🙂

Please share this and any article that speaks to you or your company.  Loyal readers like you help us find more people who could benefit from these posts.  Help us help them reduce conflict and improve leadership skills and quality of life.

Read the first article in the series “Why Conflict in the Workplace Research Matters: Part One.”

This is Joyce Weiss, Corporate Communication Strategist and Career Coach

Learn how I can leverage my 30+ years of communication and leadership consulting and coaching experience to help your organization address career skills here.

Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”