Working Well with Others

 

Background: 

You’re on a team that includes a wide range of personalities, and some of you are having a hard time working effectively together.

Question

:

Match each personality type with the most effective approach for working with that type of person.

• Indecisive or overly agreeable people
• Get commitments from them that you can depend on
• 
  
• Negative people or complainers
• Help them move into problem-solving mode
• 
  
• Unresponsive or silent colleagues
• Encourage them to contribute and offer their input
• 
  
• Aggressive or hostile coworkers
• Manage them directly and with confidence
• 
  
• Coworkers who think they know it all
• Gently expose them to new ideas, facts, and theories

Question

:

What techniques are effective for managing your own behavior to avoid interpersonal conflict at work?

• Adjust your behavioral style to work well with others

• Learn about your own behavioral style

• Practice self-control to manage your responses

Background

: 

On your team, you’ve noticed that certain situations often lead to disagreements.

Question

:

What strategies are effective for resolving common situations that provoke conflict at work?

• Resolve value conflicts with mutual respect and understanding

• Resolve task conflicts through collaborative brainstorming with colleagues

• Resolve relationship conflicts by demonstrating interest and empathy for the other person

• Resolve conflicts due to cultural differences by remaining impartial and focusing on behaviors

• Resolve work environment conflicts by helping to create a workplace where all voices are heard

Background

: 

Two people on your team seem to always be in conflict with one other, and their disagreements are preventing the team from meeting its goals.

Question

:

What advice might you offer to help them effectively manage this interpersonal conflict?

• Seek to broaden your understanding of the situation

• Avoid responding immediately

• Appreciate the qualities that make one person distinct from another

• Understand the intent behind the challenging behavior

• Search for a connection with the other person