Transcript

Hey everyone. Hope the video finds you well.

And because it’s 32 degrees and spitting outside, we’re sitting with Mark, not walking with Mark today.

I wanted to talk a little bit about conflict resolution. I think we use the term conflict quite a bit, and I think most of the time we’re referring to disagreement, but I actually think conflicts and disagreements are healthy in the workplace.

I want an opportunity to state my case, and I want to hear the devil’s advocate. I want to hear the disagreements or the conflicts because I think that’s healthy. I think it gives us a way to analyze the situation a little bit differently, especially if there is conflict.

How do we handle that now that we have two or three or four differing opinions on a topic or a different way to get there? The first thing I’d like you to do is focus on the outcome. What are we trying to accomplish? Well we’re trying to drive to work.

Let’s use that as an example, and there might be three ways to get to work. There might be twelve ways to get to work. Let’s start with the outcome and focus on what we’re trying to do, and that’s get to work.

The second thing we’re going to do is take immediate action.We have four or five people, two people, six people offering their opinions. Let’s take immediate action on those opinions,and let’s frame this discussion really positively. Hey, we’re trying to get to work. This is the best way to go.

I want you to leave every personal attribute of the people that are in that room off the table because this is a conversation about work and personal attributes about people shouldn’t enter into it. Let’s take each one of the scenarios or the disagreements or the differing of opinions, and let’s talk through them.

What are the finer points of what you’re saying? Make sure I’m actively listening. And I understand your stance of that situation. I’m going to focus on that issue and not the person. We’re going to look at every possible scenario. And together we’re going to come up with a solution.

And finally, you need to realize that your opinion doesn’t always win and that there are three or four or eight ways to get to work. And at the end of the day, as long as we are all agreeing on the outcome, we should have a positive result.

Give that a try the next time you disagree and sometimes be willing to say, let’s try that.

Good luck.