Harmony at workplace

 

CONFLICTS

Conflicts, misunderstandings, and opposing points of view are an inevitable part of working life. Conflict may not occur on a daily basis, but when it happens it can be intense.

All relationships, professional and personal, experience some kind of conflict. This is normal, natural and sometimes necessary for growth and development. Some people feel it is best to avoid conflict.

While this can be appropriate sometimes, it is not always recommended. Conflicts,misunderstandings and opposing points of view are inevitable in the workplace, but it is possible to resolve conflicts and preserve harmony.

The main secret to conflict resolution is understanding not so much the conflict occurred, but how you can manage it when it does.

Conflict Categories

Broadly speaking, considering what most people fight about at work, conflicts have been clubbed into three categories:

1. Not enough of something to go around. For example, lack of office resources or new computers.

2. Different ways of seeing the world. For example, disagreements about who is responsible for handling certain tasks or functions in the office.

3. Different goals that you, or a colleague or boss wants to reach. For example, different views of how to spend professional development allowances.

Whatever the category, the topic of conflict can be full of emotion, negativity, myths and truths.

Four Myths about Conflict are:

Conflict at work means that there is something seriously wrong with the company. When handled effectively, conflict can help people meet their goals and objectives within a team or department. Constructive conflicteven allows you to create new solutions bu incorporating ideas from several points of view.

Conflict means communication has come to a halt. When you know how to positively engage others in a conflict, it can provide the opportunity to clarify issues, create innovative solutions and strengthen relationships.

All conflicts can be resolved. There are going to be times when you simply cannot agree on certain issues. Because of different values, you might have to make choices about which differences to address for solutions, which differences to address for learning and which differences to leave alone.

Conflict always results in a winner or loser. There are many possible outcomes to a conflict that don't necessarily mean that someone wins and someone loses. When mutual desire exists to resolve differences, you can increase the chances for win-win results.

Four Truths about Conflict are:

Conflict will occur. It is a natural dynamic when interacting with others. The important question is what you do with conflict.

Conflict can help build relationships.When you know how to work through conflicts with people, it is possible to strengthen bonds with managers and colleagues.

Conflict can be a tool for personal development. In addressing differences, you can be exposed to new ideas and thus have an opportunity to reassess your own perspectives and beliefs.

Most conflicts can be managed. There are five approaches to use when dealing with conflict, all of which may be appropriate in different situations.

To help you in your next workplace conflict, use the following definitions of these five options as a quick checklist to determine the best way to approach the situation:

1. Competition (Win-Lose Method).

This is the power-based, winner-takes-all approach. The focus is winning at any cost instead of searching for the most appropriate solution for everyone involved.

2. Accommodation (Lose-Win Method).

This can be a variation of the competition approach in which you are willing to lose to the other person.

It Can also be an assertive method when you realize it is more important to preservethe relationship than to argue the issue, or when the issue is more important to the other person that it is to you.

3. Avoidance (Lose-Lose Method). This may sometimes be considered a fear response or a denial that a problem exists. However, you may choose avoidance when others can resolve the conflict more efficiently, or when both parties need a chance to cool off, or when addressing the situation directly may be too damaging or costly to both parties involved.

4. Compromise (Win-Lose and Win-Lose Method). This includes negotiation, tradeoffs and a high degree of flexibility. You can get some of what you want, but you will also have to give up something.

5. Collaboration (Win-Win Method). This requires a climate in which each person is willing and able to examine and understand the other person's point of view.

It requires trust, the willingness to be creative and the ability to empathize to reach a solution. Whatever method you use, the key to these different approaches is to choose one that fits with the situation and what you would like to see happen. Ask yourself: What do you want as the result? What is at stake because of this conflict?

12 Critical Management Variables that Drive all Outcomes from the Employee's Point of View:

1. I know what is expected of me at work.

2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right.

3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.

4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.

5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.

6. There is someone at work who encourages my development.

7. At work, my opinions seem to count.

8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.

9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.

10. I have a best friend at work.

11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.

12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.

The Most Powerful Variables are:

My supervisor or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person

At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day

In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work

BOTTOM LINE.......

We need caring Leaders!

We need caring Managers!

TIPS FOR EVERYONE TO REDUCE STRESS AT WORK

1. Get Along with People

Low-stress employees usually create smooth working relationshipswith practically everyone. To do this, find things you have in common and act friendly with absolutely everybody from the president down to the janitors.

2. Always be Diplomatic and Tactful

Never act impatient nor angry regardless of how you feel. Expressing anger at your workplace results in direct or subtle retaliation, which surely increases stress.

3. Learn What is Expected of You

Find out exactly what is expected from you by the two most important people: Your (a) boss and (b) boss's boss. These two people will make or break your career, and greatly affect your stress level. When you meet their expectations you simultaneously can get ahead plus decrease a possible cause of stress.

4. Be a Team Player with your Boss and Co-workers

Team players express gratitude to others, and receive less grief than employees who seem rebellious or act like loners.

5. Give 3 compliments Each Day at Work

People love receiving compliments, and they will make your life easier. Reason: You made them feel good with a compliment. They will remember your compliment when you ask for a favor.

6. Set Goals for Yourself-Both Personal and Work-related

High-stress people rarely take actions to accomplish their goals.

Low-stress people, on the other hand, spend more than half their time doing actions that help them achieve their short-term or long-term goals.

Here it is important to discover how much time you really devote to achieving your goals. First, write down everything you did in the last seven days. Second, on a separate piece of paper, list your (a) three short-term goals to achieve in the next three months and (b) three long-term goals to achieve in three years. Third, look at your seven-day activity list, and note any actions you did that helped you accomplish short-term or long-term goals.

Typically, people spend less than five percent of their time doing activities that will achieve their goals. And people feel more frustrated and stressed when they do not accomplish their short-term and long-term goals.

7. Write a Daily "To-Do" List

Each day before leaving work, write a list of what you need to do the next work day. That quick organizing helps prevent you feeling overwhelmed by tasks you need to do.

8. Keep a Neat Desk or Work Space

You do not need obsessive-compulsive neatness. For example, my desk is covered with a lot of papers. But, I keep a 2-foot X 2-foot space to use only for work I am doing at that moment.

9. Exercise at Least a Little Every Day

Any movement or exercise helps. Even a 10-minute walk helps. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park at the far end of the parking lot. People bottle-up emotional tension in their muscles. By exercising a little, you release emotional and physical stress. Then, you will feel more clear-headed when you encounter a stressful situation.

10. De-employ Yourself, Consider Changing Jobs

If the above nine tips do not help you, then you might want to find a new job. Remember the wise saying: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

Coping with Office Politics: How to Stay Above It All for a Career Newbie

It is tough coping with office politics especially when you are a career newbie. Sure, there are a million of other things you need to consider when dealing with office politics. It is never easy and this article is not here to say that it is easy.

These are merely steps that have worked before in certain circumstances. You will have to be the judge as to how you can make these steps work.

That said, I would urge you to try some of these steps no matter how small. Even if it does not help you to cope with office politics, these are at their basic level good working attitude and behaviors.

As a career newbie, how do you stay above the office politics? How do you cope with the politics?

1. Speak Kindly

Coping with office politics is easy if you choose to speak kindly. What does speaking kindly mean? Speaking kindly means to choose your words carefully. That is not to say to be pretentious. Be sincere, nothing will work if you are not sincere. To choose your words carefully mean do not use scathing remarks or remarks that is of a personal nature.Learn to compliment and not criticize. If you have a constructive comment you need to give, compliment first. Say what is right about it, then what can be improved.

When you learn to compliment more and give sincere constructive comments, coping with office politics becomes less stressful. People cannot attack someone who is positive.

2. Help

One way of dealing with the office politics is to do your best in helping others. Yes, there will be the perception of helping 'the other camp' to contend with. But if you sincerely help someone, you neutralize the animosity that was created too.

Doing your best to help others entail looking at the welfare of others. That is not to say you neglect your own welfare. When you take others welfare into consideration, you think about how does your work affects others. That's help at work at its most basic level. Your work affects another colleague.

You should constantly strive to be of service to the others and make your work better. When you do that, you are dealing with the officepolitics in the most positive manner. You stay above it all and are less prone to attacks.

3. Empathize

Yes, a very often used word in the management world. It is an action that if you are able to do it well, will help you cope with office politics. To empathize simply means putting yourself in someone else's shoes.

Learn not to brush off someone's opinion just because it differs from our own. You can speak about your differences but do not be disrespectful about it.

Remember Speak Kindly?

Remind yourself - there is no one way in doing anything. Sure some ways maybe better than others. So, discuss and debate. Just do not be disrespectful. Learn to understand where they are coming from even if you do not agree. That is one way of coping with office politics. Firmly disagreeing without being disrespectful.

Sometimes when coping with office politics you need to begin with yourself. Learn to increase your capacity to connect with others. When you do, you turn animosity into affinity and negative energy can be neutralized.Harmony is achieved in the workplace only when the leaders determine what they want their organization culture to look like and then strategize to make it a reality

Practice with a total stranger. A simple "Good morning", a "How are you?" or a "Which floor do you need to go?" are all practice for the simple act of giving out. Do this with colleagues too. When you do this often enough with colleagues you naturally feel good and this is contagious.

Give out a nod, a smile and a simple "How are you?" Giving does not make us any poorer; it makes us richer in our hearts. A rich heart that is giving out is a hand that is reaching out. No one can blame us for not trying."Where there is no vision the people perish" the people throw off restraint.... there is no discipline.....

TRY THIS OUT....

Does creating harmony in the workplace stop here? No. Take it a step further. Be supportive of those who give too. When you see people giving, encourage them. Giving builds affinity amongst colleagues. When people can feel your generosity, they will reciprocate. Granted there will be those who will be exploitative and pounce on this opportunity. The advice is this - let them be. Only beggars take and not give. You are rich and can afford to give. To give is your contribution to harmony in the workplace. 

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