Do you want to be an effective leader? Then do not avoid unpleasant topics

Uncertainty, dissatisfaction with working conditions, internal conflicts, frustration: these are topics employees often discuss among themselves but not with their leader or management. If there is any conflict at the workplace, the worst mistake a manager can make is to ignore it and let employees resolve it themselves or allow the problem to escalate. Here are some reasons why an effective leader should talk to subordinates about unpleasant topics, along with tips on how to go about it.

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Dealing with issues transparently will answer many unspoken questions

As BusinessKnowHow.com states, employees sometimes have doubts or frustrations that remain unspoken or unsolved. When this happens and the problem is not dealt with in any way, fear and other negative feelings can grow over time and only later on manifest themselves unexpectedly in the workforce.

It is the task of an effective manager to detect these frustrations among employees, monitor them and solve them in a transparent manner. Only if management faces up to these problems and actively seeks solutions with employees is it possible to handle, explain and solve the situation.  

Solving issues transparently serves as motivation to all employees

When unpleasant issues are solved in a calm and constructive manner, it motivates all other employees not to be afraid in the future, and instead to speak out and have their voice heard. You as the manager should create an environment in which everyone speaks in a transparent manner and all opinions are taken into account. Therefore, you need to take everyone's opinions seriously.

At the same time, publicly resolved conflicts also serve to prevent potential future conflicts. If conflicts are addressed not as isolated, specific cases, but as general problems that can happen to anyone, and generally valid solutions are proposed, this can prevent similar situations occurring in the future.

How is it done?

First of all, you must be honest with your employees. If you can see they are struggling with something, or that a certain frustration or bad atmosphere is spreading at the workplace, sit down with your workers and ask them openly what is wrong. Create an environment that will not punish employees for voicing their doubts. Be calm, unbiased, and try to empathise with your employees. Either you can talk to the whole team at once, or to individual members and detect general patterns that are shared by more people.

 

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Article source Business Know-How - U.S. website focused on small and home business
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