One communication skill that is effective in managing conflict in the workplace is listening. Listening and non-verbal communication such as making eye contact with the person speaking can be helpful. According to the video, Effective Strategies to Manage Conflict at Work, speaker Lorraine Segal explains that effective listening will allow the other person to feel heard and more willing to find a solution to the problem (Khawand, 2014).
One of my “hot buttons” is gossiping in the workplace. I am sure we have all been guilty of gossiping at work however, I find it unprofessional and childish. I work in a small but very busy clinic where there is a lot of togetherness five days a week. The gossiping that goes on around the clinic reminds me of when I was in grade school. Since it’s a smaller workplace, the gossip gets around quickly which creates conflict among co-workers.
There are always going to be those “gossipers” that are unavoidable but what I can do is remove myself from those situations and not participate in the gossip. As stated by Lorraine Segal, this would “model behavior that would fuel respectful workplace communication” (Khawand, 2014). I sometimes tend to avoid conflict, so removing myself from the situation is easiest for me. I could simply say to the crowd that is gossiping that I do not feel comfortable talking about people behind their back so they know not to gossip around me in the future.
Khawand, P. (2014, June 06). Effective Strategies to Manage Conflict at Work (Video File). Retrieved April 7, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8_n-QGwh-E
Hi Beth:
Like you I believe listening is of utmost importance when a conflict exist. Good communication makes it much easier in solving problems. On the other hand I work at a large hospital; not that it does not happen but to my knowledge we are so busy that the gossip is not that much. Whenever someone approaches me with gossip I remind them how hard we all work and that we need an atmosphere of cooperation and fellowship.
I agree! I think gossip is much more easier to deal with when working with a larger group. I work at a large hospital too but in an office setting now. When I worked in the ICU, there was no time to gossip! We hit the floor running and didn’t stop for 12 hours. We worked as a team and supported one another all day. So yes, its quite different.