Conflict Conversations - Best Practices

Leverage Ladies

In this episode we’re getting together to discuss a topic that is challenging for most business owners, and that is how to manage conflict and have difficult conversations. Many leaders are afraid to even hire people and grow their business for fear of dealing with conflict down the road. Fortunately, you can take intentional steps to make this process easier.

The first step should always be to look at your behaviors first. Decide whether or not you’ve given them the right tools, clearly explained your expectations, and trained them properly. If you answer yes to those questions, then it's time to have a conversation.

There are some helpful tips that can make this conversation easier to tackle. Be specific and have clear examples of the behavior you want to change. Be proactive by taking time to plan what you say, but don’t wait so long that the emotion festers and builds. Practice what you’re going to say, either to yourself or someone else you trust, so that the conversation doesn’t go off track.

When you're engaged in the conversation, make sure to show empathy for their side, actively listen, and acknowledge any criticism they offer you back. Take responsibility for your part in the conflict. Prove to them that you understand their point of view. Remember that they may need time to reflect since this conversation can come up unexpectedly for them.

You can’t know the outcome beforehand, but it opens up a dialogue and will lift a weight off of your shoulders. It’ll create the potential to move forward together on the same page as a stronger team. Regardless of the outcome, you’ll build character as you learn how to face conflict with more confidence in the future.

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