Conflict is a word with negative connotations. In the business world it is connected with broken contracts, dissatisfied clients and the end of the world. Most of us walk away from a bold conversation when the things we could lose are disproportionate to those we could win. Yet it’s impossible to completely avoid tough situations. Conflict is the direct result of two groups having disparate versions of success - a natural thing as two businesses work with one another.
I learned very late in my life that conflict isn’t always a bad thing. It actually can be eye opening and can help you understand better what the other party feels and thinks. Through conflict, hidden information is revealed and because emotions take over, people usually let their guard down and are more spontaneous in their needs’ expression.
In order for you to discover the beneficial part of embracing conflict in business and in life, like every other thing you need to practice. For business conflict management is key. I think that one of the most important thing is to surround yourself with brave enough individuals who find in conflict an opportunity to make themselves better listeners and negotiators and who leverage conflict to level up their communicative skills or learn how to make a conversation better, meaningful and more impactful. This is one of great consultants’ values too.
This is not to say that you should make a pointless, aggressive behaviour your policy from now on. It is crucial to walk into conflict with the intention to better understand the other side’s perspective and with the willingness to find a solution that will bring value for both of you moving forward. You most probably will have to deal with disagreements during a relationship, especially in the beginning as the teams are learning about one another and the partnerships is unproven. This is compounded by the fact that clients, naturally, want to achieve the best results at the lowest price.
Timing is also a very important factor. In case you have already pinpoint some things that could be resolved for the better do not postpone things. This approach to conflict is all too common. You simply avoid the issue, hoping that you won’t have to deal with it. Sometimes it works to avoid problems that will eventually resolve themselves. But in most cases, this is not a long-term solution as these problems reappear, uglier than ever. In fact, intervening quickly in cases of conflict can dramatically reduce and even prevent the cost of a damaged business relationship. Additionally navigating conflict results in more trusting and honest relationships and improved collaboration and productivity. Through conflict you defend your ideas and values and you show confidence in yourself and what you bring to the table. Conflict is sometimes the way for you to take that promotion, to reach the next financial benchmark or the prerequisite for your business’ success.
There are some techniques for handling and resolving conflicts with clients that you could practice the next time you hop on that zoom call
-Importance
Every time you bring up an issue you put both you and your client in an uncomfortable position. So it does have to worth it 100%. There are some issues that don’t worth the emotional energy and professional time it would take to address and resolve it. Always think twice.
-Body Language
The way you move in a space when we talk about a physical meeting with a client, or the way you are sitting, your facial expressions, and your verbal tone in case of a zoom call provide a lot of information to the person on the other side of the table about your approach to solving the problem, no matter what you are saying. That’s why intention is so important when a conflict arrises. If your body language is positive and shows openness, your client will want to mirror your posture and position. Open hands, leaning forward, smiling, all are indicators of your willingness to collaborate and communicate. Practice in front of a mirror before the meeting and notice your own discomfort and stress levels decreasing as well.
-Focus on the facts
Avoid being blinded by your personal opinions. Focus on the issue. Start the conversation by outlining the facts and remain objective.
-Active Listening
Be the extraordinary professional and vanish the client’s most common complain of not feeling heard. If you’ve already identified an issue and are working to solve the conflict, be sure to allow the client to fully express his feelings and thoughts. Give him the forum and the time to detail what happened and how he felt. Ask open-ended questions that are non-judgmental. Begin with “How” or “What”. Don’t jump into defending why you did one thing or another. That’s not the point after all. For some, it’s enough to just know that their concerns have been voiced, and they have been heard.
-Be a mirror
Try and slow down the conversation. With a steady, confident voice use the words that your client used to sum up his concerns. By doing so you comfort and establish the kind of report that leads to trust.
-Empathy
Conflict surfaces feelings that sometimes are quite intense. These are the result of fears and concerns that are not communicated by the client. Being emotional doesn’t help in focus or finding common ground and eventually the solution to the problem. In order to pivot and guide the client to refocus address these fears. Once they are labeled and brought into the open, the negative reactions will begin to soften. The language will turn from worry to optimism. Empathy is a powerful mood enhancer.
Music to listen to while reading this post: https://youtu.be/x3dI3pjDYf4
Taste: Sourdough bread with tahini
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