Conflict doesn’t have to be a quick negative right away, it can actually be thoughtful to help you achieve your goals.
This time of year, more than any other time of year, we see people being more civil to each other with kind holiday greetings, gift-giving, and even to the point of being accommodating to others in need. Yet, I am still perplexed that for some reason this civility is short-lived on the streets, at work, and even at home.
Think about a time someone didn’t want to collaborate and made working with them a competition. Maybe you wanted to engage in a compromise that would be a workable solution, however; someone wanted to avoid a problem situation altogether. Maybe you wanted to be accommodating to a difficult recipient and he/she became resentful. This is where thoughtful conflict can come into play.
The Challenge: Here are five conflict management styles: Collaborating, Competing, Compromising, Accommodating, and Avoiding. How can you weave civility into helping others during a meeting, a project, a stressful family situation, and to those that continue to be uncivil on a regular basis? What example of managing conflict increased civility in your particular situation? Share examples in the comments.
Want to learn more ways to increase Civility, register by December 17th for our free 60-minute virtual session on “Civility in the Workplace” on December 19th.