Tips for Resolving Conflicts Within Sales Teams

Managing conflict in my team is never easy but it's part of the job. Handling conflict within my team is a task that comes with its set of challenges, but it's essential for keeping the team functional and happy. Here's how I typically go about running a team meeting to address conflict: 1. Recognizing the Source: First, I identify what's causing the conflict. Before we even sit down for a meeting, I pinpoint what's causing the issue by talking to everyone involved. This usually involves speaking privately with the team members involved to understand their viewpoints. 2. Establish Objectives: Before calling the meeting, I define what we aim to achieve. Is it conflict resolution, finding a middle ground, or simply airing out grievances? Knowing the objective helps structure the conversation. 3. Set Guidelines: I establish ground rules for the meeting to ensure a safe space. This includes allowing everyone to speak without interruption and keeping the conversation respectful and on-point. 4. Facilitate Dialogue: During the meeting, I act as a facilitator rather than a dictator. I guide the conversation, ensure everyone has a say, and keep the discussion focused on the issue, not personal attacks. 5. Reach an Agreement: Once everyone has had their say, we work towards a solution. This is usually a compromise that may not satisfy everyone entirely but serves the greater good of the team. 6. Action Plan: We end the meeting by laying out an action plan, defining who will do what, by when, to resolve the issue. 7. Follow-Up: A few days to a week after the meeting, I follow up with the individuals involved and the team as a whole to ensure that the action items are being implemented and to see if the conflict has been resolved or reduced. By approaching conflict with a structured, open dialogue, and a focus on resolution, I find we can often turn what could be a divisive issue into an opportunity for team growth. "The best way to resolve conflicts is facing them, not avoiding them." Have a Positive, Productive and Safe Day! #TeamConflict #ConflictResolution #Leadership #TeamGrowth #EffectiveCommunication

Avoiding tough talks is a direct path to losing team trust. Here's how top leaders handle conflict: 1/ The Real Problem → Leaders stall, hoping conflict resolves itself → Feedback gets softened until it’s meaningless → The issue festers, and performance suffers 2/ Why It Matters → Projects halt because no one says what needs to be said → The wrong people stay in the room, the right ones leave → Culture declines and misalignment becomes the norm 3/ The CLEAR Framework → Cut the Fluff: Skip the warm-up and get to the point → Label the Behavior: Focus on actions, not identity → Explain the Impact: Make it real, why does it matter? → Ask for Alignment: Invite a response, not a lecture → Recommit or Redirect: Don’t end vague, end with clarity 4/ What Happens Next → Tension goes down, not up → People feel respected, not ambushed → Projects move forward, with trust, not silence 5/ Why You Need This → Leading isn’t about avoiding discomfort → It’s about creating clarity when others won’t → This framework gives you the words to do it right ♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh for more

Conflict gets a bad rap in the workplace. Early in my career, I believed conflict had no place in a healthy workplace. As I progressed, I realized that it was quite the contrary. The lack of conflict isn't a sign of a healthy work culture, rather it is an indication that important debates, discussions and differing viewpoints are being disregarded or suppressed. This insight revealed another key aspect: high-performing teams do not shy away from conflict. They embrace it, leveraging diverse opinions to drive optimal outcomes for customers. What sets these teams apart is their ability to handle conflict constructively. So how can this be achieved? I reached out to my friend Andrea Stone, Leadership Coach and Founder of Stone Leadership, for some tips on effectively managing conflict in the workplace. Here's the valuable guidance she provided: 1. Pause: Take a moment to assess your feelings in the heat of the moment. Be curious about your emotions, resist immediate reactions, and take the time to understand the why behind your feelings. 2. Seek the Other Perspective: Engage genuinely, listen intently, show real interest, and ask pertinent questions. Remember to leave your preconceived judgments at the door. 3. Acknowledge Their Perspective: Express your understanding of their viewpoint. If their arguments have altered your perspective, don't hesitate to share this with them. 4. Express Your Viewpoint: If your opinion remains unswayed, seek permission to explain your perspective and experiences. Remember to speak from your viewpoint using "I" statements. 5. Discuss the Bigger Objective: Identify common grounds and goals. Understand that each person might have a different, bigger picture in mind. This process can be taxing, so prepare beforehand. In prolonged conflict situations, don't hesitate to suggest breaks to refresh and refuel mentally, physically, and emotionally. 6. Know Your Limits: If the issue is of significant importance to you, be aware of your boundaries. For those familiar with negotiation tactics, know your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). 7. Finalize Agreements: Once an agreement has been reached, continue the engagement to agree on responsibilities and timeframes. This ensures clarity on the outcome and commitments made. PS: Approach such situations with curiosity and assume others are trying to do the right thing. 🔁 Useful? I would appreciate a repost. Image Credit: Hari Haralambiev ----- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

Difficult conversations are a part of being a game producer. We all have different motivations, sometimes the difference is subtle, sometimes its not. Working through that with someone you need onboard can be a challenge. Here's some tips: - See if you can understand what their goals are, what 'success' looks like to them. If you can understand where they are trying to go, you are more likely to suggest and assist them in 'win/win' solutions. - Similarly, seek to understand the constraints of their environment. If someone is telling you they need to go left when you want to go right, it may not be a trivial difference of opinion. Perhaps they know something you don't about why left is the only viable option. - Don't ask leading questions trying to get them to do what you want. Be open and curious. If you have an opinion or perspective, state it. People generally hate being 'led by the nose' to the solution someone else wants, even if it's the right thing to do. - Recognize that getting to 'I disagree, but I'll support you anyway' can be a great place to be. You don't need everyone to agree, and sometimes that just won't happen. Getting to a place where they can trust you even though they'd do something different can be good enough. - Be willing to be wrong, ignorant, or vulnerable to your own biases. Acknowledging when you messed up, or didn't know something, or were negatively impacted by the constraints of YOUR world will help build trust. Humility can help you be respected, not just obeyed. - Finally, remember that in most cases we're trying to get to the same big picture goal. Keep that in mind, talk about how the various available options support and lead to that goal (or not). Common ground is helpful to identify, it allows you to face the problem together rather than each other apart. Hope these help you with some of your difficult conversations! #gameproduction #gamedevelopment #crucialconversations #difficult

Saying "this might hurt" is not the best way to soften the blow of a difficult conversation. 📌 The phrase "this might hurt" can be confusing and misleading. It can make the other person feel defensive or anxious, and it can make it difficult for them to hear what you have to say. Instead of saying, "This might hurt," it is better to be direct and honest about what you need to say. State the issue clearly and concisely, and explain how it is impacting you. For example, instead of saying, "This might hurt, but I need to talk to you about your work performance," you could say, "I'm concerned about your recent work performance. It's not meeting my expectations, and it is impacting our team." It is also essential to be open to the other person's perspective. Be willing to listen to their concerns and try to understand their point of view. This will help you to have a more productive conversation. Here are some ideas to help you deliver difficult feedback: Set aside time for the conversation. Don't try to have a difficult conversation when you are rushed, stressed, or hungry. Instead, schedule a time to talk when you can both be focused and present. Choose a private location. Have the conversation in a place where you will not be interrupted and where you feel comfortable speaking freely. Focus on the behavior, not the person. Avoid personal attacks or generalizations. Instead, focus on the specific behavior that is concerning you. Be specific and provide examples. Don't just say that the person is "doing something wrong." Instead, give specific examples of the behavior that is problematic, as you want to give them a chance to find a solution. Be open to feedback, even if you think your needs and expectations are precise. It is possible that your message was misinterpreted or that the other person has a different perspective. Be willing to concede their point of view and be open to hearing their feedback. They may have some valid points that you did not consider. If you realize that you made a mistake, apologize. Remember, difficult conversations aim not to hurt the other person. It is to communicate your needs and expectations in a way that will lead to an improved outcome. By being direct and honest and by being open to the other person's perspective, you can have more productive and effective difficult conversations. 🧙♂️ Imagine that you have a magic wand that can make one thing about difficult conversations easier. What would it be? #management #humanresources #personaldevelopment #partnerships

Disagreements and clashes are inevitable in life - it's how you handle them that matters. Emotional intelligence is the secret for effective conflict resolution. Keep Calm and Navigate Conflict: Understand Emotions: •Recognize your feelings. •Stay calm and avoid lashing out. Listen Actively: •Focus fully. •Repeat back what you hear to ensure understanding. Stay Open: •Consider other perspectives. •Ask, "Can you explain your viewpoint?" Respond, Don't React: •Choose your words with care. •Practice pausing before responding in heated discussions. Empathy is Key: •Try to feel what the other person feels. •Put yourself in their shoes before responding. Set Clear Boundaries: •Know when to say enough. •"I think we should revisit this when we're both calmer." Stay Solution-Focused: •Shift from problems to solutions. •Ask, "What can we do to resolve this?" Motivation: •Approach conflict as a problem to be solved •Frame it as "How can we resolve this?" not "Who is right?" Social Skills •Find the right time, place and tone. •Don't air grievances in front of others Lead by example and turn conflict into collaboration. Think back on a recent conflict. How could EI have changed the outcome? Let's share experiences and grow together.

Passive, unvoiced, disagreement can kill a sales leader’s efforts to implement change. So, as well as creating an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up, an important part of a sales leader’s role is to “mine for conflict”. Which basically means proactively surfacing someone’s concerns about the change so you can engage in an open, honest, and constructive conversation. Usually this happens in a 1:1 setting. But sometimes it’s more effective to do it when the change is being discussed in a group setting e.g., a team meeting. The challenge with this being most people are more hesitant to voice concerns in front of their peers. Two tips I've found helpful, both from Patrick Lencioni's work: ➡️Sharing that silence will be interpreted as disagreement. This helps surface what would probably have ended up being passive resistance as it prompts people to vocalize their concerns. ➡️Asking each attendee to make a verbal commitment to the change at the end of the meeting. Depending on the context, this could be a disagree and commit. Major caveat here being taking these approaches (as outlined in "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team") requires establishing a foundation of trust with and within the group i.e., I wouldn't try in your first team meeting. Re Change Management, “The Advantage” and “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” are both great resources. I’d also recommend Mike Derezin's LinkedIn Learning course “Leading Your Team Through Change”. #changemanagement #salesleadership #sales

3 skills that are more important than the English vocabulary you use if you want to communicate more professionally at meetings with global teams... While it's OK to always be developing your English, don't make the mistake many do of being a perfectionist and waiting until your English is "advanced enough" before you start speaking. Otherwise, you'll never start. START using what you have now, and DEVELOP as YOU GO. This gives you more time to focus on other commonly-neglected, vital business communication skills. Here are 3 of the big ones I share with my own clients every week: ✅ Define clear objectives and meeting outcomes: Ever been to a meeting that was honestly just a waste of time? It doesn't matter how "good" your English is if you're holding a meeting that is wasting everyone's time due to having no clear objectives OR that never needed to be held in the first place. If it's even necessary to have a meeting, then ensure to define your meeting objectives, make it clear to your audience what you plan to accomplish, and create a plan to implement. Bonus: Keep the meeting as brief and succinct as possible, don't make it longer than necessary. Your team will THANK YOU for this, and will be more likely to be productive and willing to implement if you respect their time and have clear objectives. ✅ Learn how to navigate through conflict: Conflict is INEVITABLE, not only in business communications, but in life. By learning how to communicate effectively, stay calm and collected, build empathy for the other party (ESPECIALLY when you disagree), and learning how to focus on proactive solutions instead of just reacting, letting ego get in the way, or getting angry, You can create, lead, and inspire a far stronger, more resilient, more respectable, and more loyal team than if you just blow up or shut down any time there is conflict. It takes a strong, humble, capable leader to be able to handle conflict both maturely and productively. ✅ Become a better listener, paraphrase, and develop your EQ: From an English standpoint, listening carefully, taking notes, paraphrasing, and aiming to really understand are all ingredients for improving your listening comprehension skills. However, there are SO MANY MORE benefits to doing these things: You ensure you really understand, you build rapport, you gain a more well-rounded understanding of the real situation at hand, and you can create more effective solutions. A manager who speaks "OK" English but does these other 3 things well can be way more successful in their career and earn more team loyalty and productivity than one who speaks "advanced" English and uses "advanced" expressions, but fails to do these other things well. Make sure you're not only focusing on your English, but your overall Business English communication skills for your work. The ROI is way higher. Cheers, Carlos #MgizehLanguage #LifeSciences #Pharmaceuticals #Biotechnology #MedicalDevices