Have a Conflict? CLEAR it Up

Conflict usually occurs because we have different needs, styles, and experiences. We all need different things, have different styles of communicating and grew up differently. So if we’re all different, how can we resolve conflicts with each other? Even more so, how do we resolve conflicts in a professional setting?

We need to CLEAR it up.

Check In: If your coworker, employee or boss seems a little bit on edge, is right now the best time to talk? Taking a break or even sitting up from your chair helps to change your physiology which then changes your state of mind. Suggest going for a walk to give everyone a quick moment to themselves.

Lead with data: Lead with facts. Do we currently have all of the facts, and are we in agreement with them? If not, let’s go over the facts again.

Emotions: At this time you want to address their feelings. Is there anything that we can air out or clear up? Why are we feeling the way that we are currently feeling?

Agreement: Come to a common ground and figure out what your goals are together. Maybe we see things differently, but if we have a common goal we have something to work towards

Resolution: How can we move forward together? Now that we’ve assessed how we’re feeling and we’ve figured out our common goal, how can we work together to achieve those goals?

If you apply this fun acronym to your conflicts, you will certainly be in the CLEAR.

Learn more from the source in Michael Ventura’s Applied Empathy.

Contributed by Tiffany Kwong  www.thepickyprincess.ca