What is a LEADER in contrast to a MANAGER?
- In short, leaders influence others to accomplish a mission.
- By comparison, managers coordinate tasks to achieve goals, focusing on processes, workflow, operations, and employees.
As a mediation and negotiation specialist focused on conflict resolution and collaboration, I work with leaders to enhance their and their teams' skills. I am offering five categories of action items to help you and the people around you develop your leadership skills.
As a mediation and conflict resolution specialist and with my books The Collaboration Effect and Peaceful Resolutions, I recently conducted additional research on this topic. Stepping back and looking at the big picture, I wanted to share with you what I see as the seven keys to avoiding and resolving conflict. These are authentic connecting relationships, listening actively, practicing empathy, avoiding blame, using “I” statements, having clear boundaries, and taking a break. These are each elaborated on in this commentary.
As a conflict specialist in negotiation and mediation, I want to share with you the three major types of conflict and how to address each. These are task conflict, relationship conflict, and value conflict. A recent Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation article focused on this topic. This article summarizes key points and expands on this topic to give you additional pointers that will help you in these areas. Each type requires targeted conflict resolution tactics. Let us look at each type separately.
As a negotiation and mediation specialist who researches, writes and speaks on collaboration, this commentary focuses on making collaboration more inclusive. A diverse workforce improves productivity. The question is, how can you promote inclusion and cooperation in the workplace with a diverse workforce? This commentary begins with an article from Forbes on inclusion and collaboration in the workforce and expands on that article with additional ideas to help you be more inclusive and productive in the future.
As a mediator and conflict resolution specialist, working on some exciting and complex situations has been my pleasure. After one session between two boards of directors, the chairman of one of the boards complimented me by saying I am not a problem solver, but rather a solution provider.
I did not know what he meant by that comparison, so I asked him. He explained this to me. Given his comments and several years of reflection on the difference between problem solver and solution provider, along with the experience of many negotiations and mediations, I want to share some thoughts with you.
These thoughts are related to this topic and might help you when you find yourself in a conflict or negotiation.
As a conflict resolution and negotiation specialist I know how important listening is related to conflict resolution, alternative dispute resolution, and collaboration. In my book The Collaboration Effect I comment that the most important chapter is on listening. Seeing an emotionally charged commentary on listening from a friend of mine I wanted to share this with you and expand on this topic to help you. Dr. Jemaine Davis shares that coming from a gang-infested area he obtained his PhD, but his younger brother made some bad choices to survive. All his younger brother ever wanted was to have someone listen to him. Think of how powerful that statement is. I know everyone wants to be respected and listened to. Think about this with our very divided nation. What if regardless of the conflict we made a constructive attempt to listen to the other party?
As a mediation and negotiation specialist that blogs weekly on issues related to conflict resolution and collaboration I want share with you what I see as a very well written concise commentary by Abraham Dameh on how to handle disagreements. His nine points of Listening actively, Empathy, Be Calm, Build Bridges, Collaborate, Neutral Language, Mediation, and Reflection on Lessons learned absolutely resonates with me. I took his 9 points and offer some additional thoughts that I think could help you too
As leaders specializing in collaboration and conflict resolution, we focus today on making it safe for people to speak up at work. Fostering a culture of open communication is crucial for organizational success in today's dynamic and fast-paced work environment. The ability for employees to freely share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas can significantly enhance innovation, collaboration, and overall workplace satisfaction. Workplaces do face challenges, however, in establishing an atmosphere where individuals feel comfortable speaking up. The costs associated with an absence of open communication and the need for authenticity make it imperative to proactively build a culture that not only allows but encourages employees to share feedback honestly. Building on this article from the Greater Good Science Center from the University of California-Berkeley, I offer additional thoughts for your consideration.
As a leader involved with mediation, negotiations, and conflict resolution I have found humor to often assist at some point after authentic connecting relationships have been developed in the process. I wanted to offer some thoughts that you may find helpful in the fast-paced and often demanding environment of the workplace. Injecting a bit of humor can be a powerful tool to alleviate stress, improve mood, and foster a positive atmosphere among colleagues. Humor not only lightens the atmosphere but also has numerous health benefits,.
Building authentic, connecting relationships at work can be a game-changer for both personal satisfaction and professional success. Research shows that 60% to 80% of all difficulties in organizations stem from strained relationships between employees, not from deficits in individual employee’s skill or motivation. To make real connections, you need to tap into your emotional intelligence, sharpen your conversational skills, and master the art of listening actively. It is not just about "networking" but genuinely bonding with colleagues, including those you might find challenging to interact with at or through work.
[i] Daniel Dana, “Managing Differences: How to Build Better Relationships at Work and Home”
(2005, 4th ed.); Barbara J. Kreisman, “Insights into Employee Motivation, Commitment and
Retention” (2002).
As a trusted leader, it's your responsibility to foster an environment where high-quality relationships thrive. Not only does your leadership foster a more pleasant workplace, it also contributes to increased productivity and job satisfaction. But often your job involves dealing with colleagues you don’t know well or may occasionally disagree with. Some of your colleagues may be in person and others may be virtual or hybrid. Here are 15 tips for educating and inspiring all of your colleagues to work better with one another, even when they have differences of opinion or limited interactions.
Want to be a bridge builder across differences based on neuroscience? This article from the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley offers great insights. Starting with that article as an experienced mediator and negotiator that focuses on conflict resolution additional commentary is provided that expands on some of the observations to help you work with others to overcome conflicts or disputes. Read on to learn more.
The article offers five ways to have better conversations across differences. These are to
- Listen to their story
- Try not to take anything personally
- Be a bridge, and not a barrier
- Lean into discomfort
- Set norms to create a safe and brave container
The commentary that follows uses similar headings, highlights key points from the article and offers additional thoughts to enhance results.
