Managing Conflict

While getting upset with a person or an issue at work happens to most employees from time to time, unprofessional venting of frustration oftentimes can lead to more problems. Three pitchers from the Tampa Bay Rays learned this first-hand when they took to Twitter after a recent game to express their unhappiness with an umpire.

• How to Be a Job Search Superstar [Career Realism]
• Do You Still Check Your Voicemail? [CBS News]
• Essential Tips to Finish What You Start [Lifehack]
• How to Manage Conflict at Work [Psychology Today]
• Ways to Prepare for Your Next Performance Review [US News]

Your supervisor glares at you when you come in five minutes late but seems oblivious to other people’s frustration when he starts a meeting 10 minutes past the scheduled time. Or, perhaps he lectures regularly on the importance of clear communication – only to forget to announce that a deadline has been changed.

Such “do what I say, not what I do” behaviors can be annoying. After all, who feels like trying to live up to the standards of someone who can’t even follow his own rules?

For workers who have “been around the block,” the prospect of having a younger person as a manager can be worrisome. Getting along requires putting assumptions aside, focusing on common goals, and recognizing that each generation brings certain strengths to the workplace.

Have a colleague who is often grumpy and seems to delight in arguing? While it may simply be part of his or her personality, it also is possible that the person suffers from Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). While commonly thought of as a childhood condition that often coexists with attention deficit disorder (ADD), symptoms can persist into adulthood. Some typical behaviors include:

Got a bone (or two) to pick with your boss? While your complaint may have you seeing red, venting to your spouse, or even thinking about switching jobs, chances are you’re neglecting what should be foremost in your mind – presenting your gripe.

Modern workplaces often contain employees from various generations. This mixture of ages can create an exciting atmosphere – if people work to understand one another and turn differences into assets. In the newly released second edition of Generations at Work, the authors examine the causes of conflict and offer practical guidelines for resolution. Today and tomorrow, co-author Bob Filipczak shares some insight with TOP.

Workdays are more pleasant when you’re around people you consider friends, but sometimes there happens to be a colleague (or two) who for whatever reason you just don’t like. Perhaps this co-worker is bossy or condescending, or maybe her constant complaining or gossiping gets on your nerves. While the two of you don’t have to be BFFs, it is important to develop a civil working relationship. Consider these ways to maintain professionalism:

Don’t talk about the person behind her back.

It won’t help matters, and listeners may view you as the troublemaker.

As discussed yesterday, more than 90 percent of workers say that they work with a person who fails to pull his or her weight, yet only 10 percent actually confront the slacker. While such a conversation can be difficult, failure to have one can be damaging to morale and productivity.

We’ve all known one at some time or the other – the slacker colleague who fails to pull his or her weight in the office. And while you might talk secretively about the behavior with your lunch pals or rant later with your spouse, chances are you never talk about the situation with the one person who needs to discuss the problem most – the culprit. In fact, a new study shows only 10 percent of employees speak up and hold underperforming colleagues accountable, even though 93 percent of workers report working with a slacker.