Given enough time, conflict will arise between people who work together. When it happens, how you communicate with your staffers can determine how well you manage and resolve it. Behaviorists call the process "feedback." Rather than stewing over the conflict, have an honest discussion with your "opponent."
But you can give destructive or constructive feedback. When discussing conflict with someone you’re at odds with, try to give effective feedback and avoid the destructive kind. Effective feedback has the following characteristics:
- Immediate vs. demanding impossible changes
- Specific vs. blaming or threatening
- Focused on behavior vs. attacking the personality
- Private feedback vs. doing it publicly
- Factual vs. labeling or exaggerating
- Focused on the future vs. dredging up the past
