On July 9, the Humanitarian Support Foundation Atlanta team welcomed MS. Consultant and author Diara Kendrich for a session on Conflict Resolution, as part of the company’s ongoing Wellness Lunch & Learn series. Ms. Kendrich, the author of Who Farted in the Boardroom?!: How to Outscore Conflict in the Workplace, focused on the importance of successful conflict resolution for winning businesses. She offered specific examples of how facing conflict head-on can help prevent negative workplace side effects such as discomfort, disloyalty, misunderstanding, tension, indifference, decreased communication, increased resistance to change, employee dissatisfaction, and in the worst cases, work sabotage.
During the session, Humanitarian Support Foundation employees role played through three (3) viewpoints of conflict: traditional, human relations, and interactions. Through this process, the entire team was able to better understand the impact that each type of conflict could have on individuals in the workplace. Ms. Kendrich also discussed strategies for following a conflict resolution model or plan, including: defining the problem, brainstorming possible solutions, evaluating solutions from the perspective of both parties, mutually agreeing on the most acceptable solution, deciding who will do what by when, implementing and evaluating the solution, and acting on findings. By agreeing to focus on the problem instead of the individuals involved, accept accountability, and listen wisely, attendees came away feeling better equipped to deal with workplace conflict in the future.