Conflict Management with Staff

Some conflict in business is natural and can create a healthy atmosphere for the exchange of ideas and opinions. However, when conflict begins to damage productivity and output, it needs to be identified and addressed. Types of conflict vary widely based on many factors making every conflict unique. Effective communications in these situations is critical.

First speak with individual staff members who are involved in the conflict or impacted by it. In these discussions focus on the impact the conflict is having; this makes the conversation objective and resolution oriented and not personal. Once the conflict has been evaluated and actions have been identified to reach resolution, communicate quickly and concisely to everyone in the "sphere of conflict". People need to know that the conflict has been detrimental and must be resolved with change.

These communications need to be based on knowledge of the circumstances, critical thinking that clarifies the issue and identifies actions, and most importantly, make everyone aware that the conflict is being resolved and is over. Move on.

Challenges of New Markets

The basic principles of marketing and impactful communications are also effective in foreign markets and help companies focus on critical success factors. A well-known marketing mantra is “know your customer, have the right message and deliver that message at the right time”. This sounds fairly simple but companies often spend millions of dollars making sure these three elements are aligned. In domestic markets there is an inherent understanding of the customer. Foreign markets pose the added complexity of language, culture and social structure, all of which are factors in an accurate customer definition.

The selling attributes of a product or service must be adjusted to each market and to the language of business or the consumer. Channels of communication may differ and include brokerage middle-men. Selling and communicating to these groups is quite different.  

Problem Solving

Problem solving is one of the most critical skills in business. The first and most important step to solving the problem is to accurately define the problem. Be objective and do not have preconceived notions. Bringing biases and preconcieved notions into this process means you are defining the problem before you have defined the problem. Be objective and get the facts. Apply some critical thinking and get this first step right. Often a problem shows up as a symptom or effect. Look for the cause. A solution addresses the cause and that gets rid of the symptom.

For example, if product sales are dropping off, find the cause. It might not be that the sales people aren't doing their job. The sales people report that customers just aren't buying as much as they used to. The problem actually is a new competitor. The solution is to analyze the competition and adjust how you promote your product.

Get the facts you need to know what your solution is based on.

Good Listening Skills Lead to Effective Communications

Being a good listener is a skill and takes practice. More accurately it should be called active listening  skills. Listening does not come naturally, particularly in the business setting where there are so many distractions. In meetings we tune people out; in conversations we often are think about what we are going to say, rather than listening to others in the conversation. In a previous blog I spoke about critical thinking. Critical thinking requires openmindedness and you can not be openminded if you do not listen. Active listening is incredibly informative. Customers tell you exactly what they want. Business colleagues offer different points of view. Speakers give you facts you did not know. Open up to what people are saying and also how they are saying it. When thinking about your own communications you want to make sure others listen to you.  Now the tables are turned. With effective communications people want to listen.

Critical Thinking and Effective Communications

Having the skills of critical thinking leads to success in business and impacts the quality of your communications. You engage in business discussions based on reason rather than emotion. There can be a great deal of stress in some business environments. Under pressure it is easy to let emotions overpower reason. With critical thinking you become self aware, you understand your own biases, assumptions and built in prejudices.  These characteristics can bring out emotion. These skills also takes some of the pressure off because it allows you to identify what facts, data, information and opinions are most relevant to the matter at hand. Your are not searching for what to say.

Add in good judgement, open mindedness and discipline, and you have what it takes to be a critical thinker. This has a tremendous impact on the clarity of your communications. So much of business in highly interactive and "of the moment". You have to think on your feet. Critical thinking on your feet gets the point across because you can identify, construct and evaluate your argument. People like to work around critical thinkers because they know they are heard and that what they say will be considered. It also "keeps them on their toes". Critical thinking can build a career and it can grow a company.

What Makes For Effective Communications

Effective communications is a mind set not just a skill or a good ad. Effective communications is getting to the heart of the matter. Make a point, change an opinion, solicit an action, inform and educate. 

In the business community we communicate all day every day (sometimes even with ourselves). These communications are with colleagues, bosses, employees, share holders, customers or adversaries and competitors. The principles of effective communication  are the same across industries up and down an organizational structure and in any number of situations.  Have you listened to someone giving a talk and said to yourself "they are talking directly to me". Now that is effective communications.

We all tend to focus on ourselves and what we want to say. What we need to do is focus on the audience and what they need to hear.

Ask yourself :

• What action do you want or need?
• How are you going to communicate? Phone, in-person, by email?
• Who is your audience?
• What do they need to hear?
• Why should they care?
• What makes you credible?
• Have you considered the timing?

The results of effective communications.

• You get the action you desired
• From the audience you targeted
• In the timeframe you needed

Or, you learn what you need to do better or differently.