Workplace conflict is inevitable. When people with different opinions and risk tolerances collaborate on projects or tasks, it’s normal for conflict to arise.
As managers, we know all too well that conflict resolution in the workplace is vital for anyone hoping to nurture positive professional relationships and build a thriving, high-performing team.
Today’s guest is Carol Bowser. Carol is a workplace conflict expert. After practicing Employment Law for several years, she founded Conflict Management Strategies when she realized a lawsuit couldn’t deliver the level of resolution and satisfaction that is gained when people are actively involved in creating solutions to their workplace conflict.
With over two decades of professional experience, she has identified common patterns in workplace conflict and is passionate about imparting wisdom on how people can strengthen their conflict resolution muscles.
In this episode, Carol and I delve into the intricacies of conflict, exploring its root causes, strategies to reframe our thinking around conflict, how to deal with workplace conflict effectively, plus more.
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Conversation Topics
- (00:00) Intro
- (01:55) Is it possible for people to have a good reaction to conflict?
- (04:35) How healthy is healthy workplace conflict
- (07:14) How managers should approach conflict resolution when they’re a part of it
- (15:15) Common things managers say that worsen a conflict
- (20:45) How to deal with workplace conflict when parties involved have different risk tolerances
- (26:58) A great manager Carol has worked for
- (29:20) Keep up with Carol
- (30:51) [Extended Episode Only] What to do when people become emotional during a conflict
Additional Resources:
- Read the full transcript
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Keep up with Carol Bowser
- Check out her website for more
here
Guest Bonus: Free Grounding Exercise Worksheet
Download this FREE Grounding Exercise worksheet from Conflict Management Strategies. It walks you through specific steps you can take before a meeting (or whenever you need to feel more grounded!).
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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.
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Practical management skills you can use this week. Host Mamie Kanfer Stewart helps managers close the gap between knowing what good management looks like and actually doing it.
Each week brings either a short solo lesson with one tool you can use right away, or a conversation with an expert on topics like feedback, difficult conversations, delegation, meetings, strategic thinking, team culture, collaboration and using AI at work.
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