How to Handle Business Conflict
How to Handle Business Conflict
Sometimes, businesses will have conflict that can’t be avoided. Whether it’s with a customer, a boss, or colleague, how you handle the conflict will set the tone of your relationship from that point forward. It will also establish your credibility and trust with the person with whom you have conflict.
Many people think that handling conflicts will come naturally to them, but this is simply not true. Helen Schifter says it takes practice and skill to handle conflict, and that when you do you will be able to lead a successful life .
She says that in order for you to handle business conflict properly in the future, there are a number of things that you need to know about. First, you need to know that everything is a negotiation. Every conversation between two or more persons is a negotiation. Whether it’s with your boss on what assignment you are going to work on or with the customer on what they will pay, it’s a negotiation.
You also need to know what tactics can be used during conflict. Tactics are simply tools that you can use in order to achieve your goal, which may be getting the sale and closing the deal, or making the customer happy so they don’t walk away from your company.
Finally, you need to know how to handle and prevent business conflict, which basically means that you need to learn how to work with other people . Without this knowledge, you will be unable to contact anyone in your business.
How to Handle Business Conflict
Here are some helpful tactics Helen Schifter suggests that you can use in order to properly handle business conflict in the future:
• Understand What the Problem Is
Before you can solve a problem, you first have to know what the problem is. This is especially true when it comes to business conflicts. In order to do this, ask yourself “What’s at stake?” in this specific instance of conflict. If you are able to answer that question, then you will have a much better understanding of what is happening and how to handle it properly moving forward.
• Personalize the Problem
This is probably one of the most important tactics that you need to know about when it comes to business conflict resolution. In order to do this, you need to personalize the problem and acknowledge that they are just as important. This will make them feel valued, which is a great way to make them feel better about the situation if they are feeling unsure.
• Negotiation
Business conflicts are never going to be resolved without the use of negotiation; otherwise, it’s not a conflict. In order to handle business conflict properly, you need to know how to negotiate with people.
• Know Your Audience
It’s important that you know who you are speaking with and what their reason for the conflict may be. If it’s another business owner, then they have something to lose if they can’t get a better deal than the one currently on the table. It could also be a customer, which means that they need help resolving a problem or fixing their issue.
• Don’t Argue
This is a very common mistake that people make when in conflict. The point of negotiation is to come to an agreement about how business will be handled for the future. Arguing with the person that you’re in conflict with will only make them want to settle it on their terms; and trust me, they aren’t going to be open to hearing your suggestions because they think that they are right.
In conclusion, handling business conflict the proper way is very important. If you can learn how to properly handle conflict, then you will have a much easier time with future customers, employees and peers.