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Have you had a work relationship that
has become strained or even escalated
into conflict? If so, was the conflict just
a one-off? Or had there been a gradual
build up over time? In either situation,
finding a way forward from conflict is
important. Conflict resolution relies on
our ability to work with others and talk
things through, but this is challenging
at the best of times, let alone when
you are working in the midst of a
pandemic.
TIMES OF CHANGE
When working during times of rapid or
unexpected change, communication and
planning is needed to provide people with
clarity about what is expected of them. It9s
understandable to have misunderstandings
along the way due to factors such as different
work styles, skills and preferences. However,
there is a risk that misunderstandings will
become aggravated by these new background
stresses and demands, and result in conflict.
Conflict can, of course, be resolved but with
so much going on for people there may not be
much left in the tank to nip issues in the bud
at an early stage. These unprecedented times
are revealing the way people and their
managers handle or avoid conflict.
Conflict styles
One thing that you learn pretty quickly as a
mediator is that people have different ways of
dealing with conflict. For example, some
people vent emotionally – often without
realising the potential impact they9re having
on their co-workers. Others won9t start a
conflict but will retaliate quickly if someone
else does.
On the other end of the spectrum, some
people wisely wait until the dust settles to
find a better time to talk, or keep their
thoughts to themselves because they9re too
afraid to speak up. With all of these
approaches, a cycle typically develops where
the action, or inaction, of one person
aggravates another person which further
erodes goodwill and trust.
Mediators have been seeing examples where
old conflicts have either been quickly resolved
or rekindled due to a change in a team9s work
environment. For example, the shift to remote
working has reduced the amount of contact
some co-workers have with each other. This
is a relief for anyone who has reached their
limit in dealing with a difficult colleague!
However, sometimes this relief has only
lasted for a few weeks or months before the
work arrangements are reshuffled back to the
discomfort of the past. Some people have
used this 8timeout9 period well by defusing the
emotional charge and making a conscious
effort to work differently in the future. In
other cases, we have seen people just as
angry or upset as before.