Resolving Conflict in the Workplace.

Whatever our calling in the workplace, we have an opportunity to be the best we can be and let God handle the situations that we cannot control. Too often when people find themselves in a disturbing circumstance, such as a lack of trust, a breach of confidentiality, or someone has stepped beyond their bounds, they become angry and frustrated. Most of the time this frustration is because people don’t think they have any practical way of resolving the issue themselves.
There are many ways to resolve conflicts. I want to encourage you to go directly to a person if what they have done has affected you negatively. It’s important to go immediately and simply try to find out what has happened without making an accusation. Once you have the facts of what has transpired, then address the issue that affects you to enable the other person to see both sides of the issue. It’s very important that you don’t try to address the issue of how you have been affected until you completely hear out the individual who has created the difficulty.
After hearing the challenge that it has created for you, if that person is unwilling to resolve the conflict between the two of you, then find a couple of associates who understand the issues and ask them if they would come and mediate between you. Preferably these would be people who are not biased one way or the other, but are willing to hear it out and give an honest view of what needs to happen to resolve the conflict.
If the person is willing to resolve, change, or adjust at that point to be reconciled, then you have gained a co-laborer as a friend and there will be a much greater openness of communication in the future. If they are unwilling to make the change to adjust and the action that they are taking is still creating massive problems for you, then at that point you have a right and a responsibility to address whoever is in authority over that individual or over your own personal area. State your understanding of what has happened. “This is the effect that it has caused,” and ask for help in resolving it, being willing to again arbitrate or mediate the issue.
If you can follow these three steps, you will be following a biblical pattern that Jesus taught in Matthew 18:15-20 on how to resolve conflicts. Principles don’t change, and this is one of the principles that Jesus taught on how people can resolve their differences. You have a due process that doesn’t initially take things to court or doesn’t create ill will or animosity, but gives an open door for change, reconciliation, healing, and then cooperation through open communication. The key is to be positive in your approach and willing to make changes and adjustments yourself. You may gain valuable insights as you seek to fully understand the action taken by your co-laborer before you present your issues.
In fact, there are several times I had nothing to say after I heard the full communication on why something was done the way it was done. At that moment, I realized my best response was “Thank you for the information.”
All through this process you can ask God for His help. Pray for understanding and wisdom for both you and your co-laborer. Pray for strife and confusion to end and reconciliation and peace to begin. Resolving conflicts as soon as possible can result in both parties having peace and the company fulfilling its mission more effectively.