Professional relationships often involve conflicts. We are only human and we make mistakes. Sometimes we become excessively angry, forget to do something or say something inappropriate. Some conflicts are inevitable but many can be prevented if we have strong communication skills. The following practical tips on how to minimise the risk of conflicts in your professional relationships were published on Inc.com.
1. Do not write angry e-mails
The recipient cannot see your emotions and might misinterpret the message completely. It may also be forwarded to others, who thus will have a bad impression of you. So in written communication stick solely to the facts. Solve emotional issues on the phone or in person, but first try to calm yourself down as much as possible.
2. Do not shout at anybody
A raised voice is guaranteed to cause conflict. Even if the criticism is justified, keep your emotions under control. Shouting shows disrespect to other people. Count on their remembering your shouting for a long time to come.
3. Do not blame others
You may think that some people around you tend to cause conflicts more than others. But you definitely will not help them by forwarding articles with instructions on how to prevent conflicts. You yourself would then cause a conflict about which of you has a bigger problem with causing conflicts.
4. Do not withhold information
The worst conflicts arise due to misunderstandings. These are created either when we talk too much and do not let others speak, or when we remain silent and do not share important information. The second case is usually worse.
5. Do not ignore minor problems
Many projects fail because of unsolved problems that appear to be minor. Big problems, however, arise on the basis of small ones. So you should solve even small conflicts immediately so that they do not develop into something much bigger.
-kk-