Blog Post 5. Dealing with Workplace Conflict Using Emotional Intelligence

 

Dealing with Workplace Conflict Using Emotional Intelligence

Author: Carolyn Stern & Associates Incorporated doing business as EI Experience

Carolyn Stern and Associates as IE experience emphasize in their blog the importance of building and maintaining good working relationships in the workplace, particularly when conflicts arise. It highlights that conflicts are inevitable in a diverse workplace, where individuals with different experiences, perspectives, and communication styles come together. Unlike social settings where one can choose to limit interactions, at work, people often have to collaborate with those they don't see eye to eye with or have personal conflicts.

Good working relationships have several benefits, such as enhancing productivity, contributing to emotional well-being, and fostering creativity and innovation. Emotions play a significant role in interactions with coworkers, and understanding one's emotions enables more authentic connections and effective communication.

                   

When people view relationships as investments helps individuals realize that the more, they contribute, the greater the long-term rewards. Positive relationships can lead to collaboration and the strengthening of friendships among coworkers. Although building and strengthening relationships require time and energy, the blog says that it is worth the effort. Engaging in conversations about emotions is a way leaders can enhance and boost business practices, improve performance, and promote overall well-being. Meaningful connections with employees can have a transformative impact on their lives and the leader's life as well.

The central idea of it is that conflicts often arise due to unaddressed strong emotions, and leaders have a role in resolving them. Leaders are encouraged not to be afraid of emotions, whether on their own or those of their teams. Unresolved or misplaced emotions can lead to dissatisfaction and negatively affect relationships. Conflict resolution is a crucial skill that many individuals lack.

It shares a very helpful three-step approach to resolving conflicts using emotional intelligence. The first step involves learning about the conflict by promoting open communication and creating a safe space for employees to express their emotions. The second step emphasizes listening to both sides of the argument and displaying empathy to understand the emotions and experiences of the individuals involved. The final step is to determine the root cause of the conflict and suggest a solution by engaging in problem-solving discussions with the team.

In conclusion, leaders should invest in emotional intelligence training programs for their teams to help them effectively resolve conflicts in the future. The ability to understand and regulate emotions enables leaders to respond proactively when triggered and fosters a deeper understanding of oneself and others. 

I consider that when people really want to contribute and improve, a natural reaction is to foster an environment in which others also feel comfortable developing themselves and investing time and effort to improve, so a good leader is not only one who plans to improve. individually, but also the people you work with.

I believe in personal growth and supporting my colleagues, but not everyone is open to learning and broadening their perspectives. In a situation where I tried to resolve conflicts and provide tools for improvement, one employee did not contribute and eventually left the job. Emotional intelligence helps build positive relationships, but it also helps identify those who are resistant to resolving conflicts and aligning with a positive work atmosphere.

Emotional intelligence creates effective communication in resolving conflicts and building positive relationships.

Source: https://eiexperience.com/blog/dealing-with-workplace-conflict-using-emotional-intelligence/