How is your communication in conflict situations? How do you remain calm, cool, and collected?
We’ve all been there: encountering someone in a fit of road rage; a neighbor upset about another neighbor’s transgression; dealing with a beloved toddler in the middle of a melt-down. Typically, we ignore such bad behavior, waiting for it to resolve itself. But, these may be prime opportunities to practice de-escalation techniques and communication skills.
Generally speaking, we trust that our co-workers are capable of resolving conflicts and able to avoid crisis in the workplace. If a situation does escalate, equipped and available managers step in. But consider this: according to the most recent report by the CDC.gov National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), over 20,000 workers experienced trauma from workplace violence in 2018.
While a crisis is not typically caused by one event, there is often a tipping point involving multiple mitigating factors. Most common is the death of a significant other, loss of a relationship, loss of work, homelessness, or cabin fever. Friend or loved-one, colleague or client, or someone you don’t know, communication in conflict is critical for de-escalation.
In Summary
This article and Article Nuggets explore communication in conflict, de-escalation goals and techniques, and a process to work through conflict without aggression or submission.
This is a brief synopsis of a 1,260-word article and 4-Article Nuggets*, suitable for consultants’ newsletters for executives and leaders in organizations. It is available for purchase with full reprint rights, which means you may put your name on it and use it in your newsletters, blogs or other marketing materials. You may also modify it and add your personal experiences and perspectives.
The complete article includes these important concepts:
- Communication in conflict: shift your goals
- 8 De-escalation techniques
- Trust the process
- 7 Communication skills
- If, when, and how
- Do’s and don’ts
- Workplace conflicts and crisis
And references to the following sources:
Christian Conte, PhD, Walking Through Anger: A New Design for Confronting Conflict in an Emotionally Charged World (Sounds True, October 2019)
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- Calm, Cool, and Collected: Communication in Conflict – 1,260-word Article, $57
- Calm, Cool, and Collected: Communication in Conflict – 4-Article Nuggets*, $64
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