Conflict in the Workplace: What to Do About Them

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Conflict in the Workplace: What to Do About Them

 

Whether you’re working in an office or from home, you’ve probably noticed a conflict in the workplace at least once. It might have been when certain expectations were not met or when the communication between supervisors and employees was not efficient, yet conflicts are quite common in any type of workplace. 

However, there are certain things you should learn how to manage to protect your mental and emotional health. To help you thrive in a healthy, sustainable environment, we took a look at the types of conflicts at work.

 

Different Leadership Styles

A leadership style becomes an issue if a new leader is introduced in the company and all employees must adapt to a new way of working and communicating. For instance, your previous boss might have been more laid-back and preferred a casual way of working. This might have implied that you could have been a few minutes late to work, had flexible deadlines, or reported on your work while sipping coffee in the hallway. 

Your new leader might have a completely different style of leading the company. They might be strict and highly technical, so you will need to be detailed in your work and report in a more concentrated way than you’re used to. This can create conflicts as everyone in the team is used to working in a certain way, so adjusting to all the changes might take time and patience. 

 

Work Style Conflicts

There are various work styles, just as there are various leadership styles. While some people like to work in teams, others are more productive working alone. Some people can finish a task with no additional guidance, yet others prefer outside input and guidance at every stage. Some people work better under pressure, while others prefer to finish their chores quickly.

Here, as well as in any workplace disputes or contact with other people, the same concept of mutual respect and understanding is applicable. Regardless of our preferred working methods, teams occasionally need to work together to generate ideas that are better than what any one person could come up with on their own.

 

Conflicts around Different Personalities

We won’t always get along with everyone we meet, and it might be challenging to deal with someone whose personality offends us. It’s important to keep in mind that people are not always what we perceive them to be. This brings up the subject of comprehension and empathy again. Don’t let what you’ve seen dictate how you’ll always feel about someone.

The best way to increase comprehension and empathy in workplace communication The better you get to know your peers, the easier it will be to understand them and their actions. 

 

Discrimination at Any Level

Conflict at work can get more serious at this point, and human resources may need to get involved. There is a critical necessity for the business to expressly highlight open-mindedness, acceptance, and understanding if there is harassment or discrimination taking place because of age, race, ethnicity, gender, or whatever the case may be.

All of us can learn to get along. Being able to work with people from different cultural backgrounds is an excellent way to learn more about the world. A diverse team is a company’s strength and not its weakness, yet learning how to make the most of it is where many businesses fail to succeed. 

 

Conflicts around Ideas

When it comes to concept brainstorming, conflict presents a fantastic chance to improve the idea. Employees must be able to listen to others’ ideas, express their own, and then put all the best parts of the puzzle together to create a magnificent solution.

If two people have conflicting project ideas, they may consult each other and mutually choose one or the other. They might also try to reach a compromise so that both perspectives can be heard and a stronger result of their cooperation emerges. If necessary, they could speak with a superior or a different coworker to mediate the situation or get their perspective on the chosen course of action.

 

Conflict Resolution

The first step is to take a deep breath and acknowledge that conflict is real. Next, talk with the other person(s) concerned to come up with a plan to resolve the issue before the tension between you becomes intolerable.

Keep things from turning passive-aggressive. Deal with the conflict before it escalates. Don’t let your feelings control you. Remember that there are always two sides to every story, and say what needs to be said without shouting or being rude. It’s possible that what someone else was feeling during their contact with you wasn’t always the same as what you were feeling. Be receptive to different perspectives. Recognize that you aren’t always right in advance.

People should get together to discuss and, more importantly, to listen. Engage in conversation with one another while drawing on your empathy. Make sure you both have a chance to say everything you need to say by taking a seat somewhere. 

Don’t just wait for your moment to speak; pay attention to what the other person has to say. Pay close attention to what they say and make an effort to think and feel like they do. Make sure you comprehend what they meant to say, not simply what you think they were saying, by asking questions.

Think about your behavior from both perspectives. To overcome the issue, it helps to comprehend the other person’s perspective and what they are thinking and feeling.

Consider where you agree instead of where you disagree. Just keep in mind that we are all human. We make mistakes and misinterpret events. Empathy for one another can help us overcome disagreements and make each other better individuals.

 

In Final Words

Conflicts will happen, yet how you react to them is what differentiates healthy environments from unhealthy ones. Even if you think that your opinion cannot change a thing, keep in mind that you’re a part of the workforce in the company, and often, it takes only one person to lead to a positive change. 

If you have an HR department or work for one, ask us about special packages to help you out of difficult situations.

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Group of individuals at a Diversity equity and inclusion training

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Training Guide For Companies

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Diversity Equity and Inclusion Training Guide For Companies

 

Today’s progressive leadership is addressing differences in workplace culture brought on by social obstacles such as diversity equity and inclusion training. It’s crucial to stress diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) training is completed to have a better future for employees. Fortunately, inclusive behaviors and practices can be taught through continual training and learning, making them essential abilities to acquire.

Building a workplace where just diversity equity and inclusion training is considered enough isn’t reasonable. After a DEI training, an organization still needs help with growth potential and adjusting their culture, all while improving the lives of marginalized employees.

Training is just a tiny piece of a much bigger DEI puzzle. The truth is that a corporation as a whole won’t shift significantly on diversity equity and inclusion training with just a few sessions.  However, when combined with other DEI consultants, maybe it can be a crucial component of an overall approach.

Definition of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Training

Employees across all levels and departments can benefit from diversity equity and inclusion training by being more curious with coworkers with different identities. 

Since diversity, equity, and inclusion are, at their foundation, human issues, the emphasis for DEI training should always be on the human case. However, DEI has much broader organizational benefits as well, and there are many compelling business reasons to undertake this type of training.

Everyone in your organization, especially those in leadership and people management roles, should take part in some sort of DEI training. Leadership and senior positions frequently have the lowest levels of workplace diversity, although those in these positions frequently have the most influence across the firm. Your leadership team’s participation and active involvement in DEI activities are therefore even more crucial.

DEI Training Topics

Each organization will customize its diversity, equality, and inclusion training to meet its unique needs, yet the majority will cover five major areas.

1. Diversity vs. Inclusion

Diversity or the representation of different groups at work is only one step. When a group is included, it signifies that decision-making occurs at the organizational level.

They are provided tools, a seat at the table, and support to create changes that promote fairness across all traits, backgrounds, skills, experiences, and viewpoints.

2. Unconscious Bias

Growing up in a culture often results in unconscious bias, also known as implicit bias. It is an unavoidable aspect of every human on the planet.

Even the most awake and conscientious person still carries these unconscious attitudes, especially if a culture has a history of systemic and institutionalized discrimination. Participants receive DEI training that helps them identify and confront their bias.

3. Microaggressions

Unconscious bias frequently results in microaggressions as well. One of the most common so-called “deaths by a thousand cuts” is interrupting when a non-binary person is talking and assuming someone’s pronouns or sexual orientation based on their appearance or tone.

Through DEI training, it is essential to recognize micro-aggressions and retrain staff to promote an inclusive culture.

4. Building Allyship

Employees that participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion training programs learn how to support marginalized groups both on and off the clock. Building collective accountability for all employees and how they are treated is known as allyship, and it it build over time. It naturally leads into the last phase of DEI training.

5. Bystander Intervention Training

When they witness discrimination, many people feel uneasy yet unsure how to react. They can worry about increasing confrontation or they can fear for their safety.

Employees receive the skills they need to act safely through bystander intervention training, enabling them to assist in de-escalating conflict and managing emotions.

Take a careful look at your organization and pinpoint any areas of bias that require improvement. Different companies will have different training needs, so there is no need to copy what someone else is doing. 

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Training Ideas

It can be difficult to choose the right tools as you start to diversify your training. Which techniques can help you determine the types of diversity training you need, and how will DEI training be implemented successfully? Can you start this process by including different voices to emphasize the most crucial points? There is a significant chance that underrepresented employees will be more aware of their own requirements.

The first stage in any training program is to determine what needs to be learned, and then to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion training concepts to address those needs.

For background materials, you might employ YouTube, webinars, or microlearning technologies, yet it’s also essential to include interactive training techniques. Teams must communicate personally to become more cohesive, and move from a “them” perspective to an inclusive “us.”

All participants’ experiences with the issues addressed in DEI training are extremely personal. Employees who experience discrimination on the job often understandably become furious, while those who do not may become accusatory or defensive. Setting up a routine that allows for these heightened emotions and enough time to absorb complex sentiments is crucial.

If this seems more sentimental than typical staff training, that’s because it is. More than if you were only providing training on safe lifting, diversity, equity, and inclusion training challenges generational bias and is likely to elicit strong emotions. Ensure your trainers can honor and appreciate every situation that emerges when employees strive for more equity.

Building an Equitable Workplace

The wider social problems of institutionalized racism and injustice won’t be resolved by diversity, equality, and inclusion training, yet progress can be made. The more your company is aware of these issues and works towards solving and preventing them in the future, the workplace will become a healthier environment that motivates your employees to contribute to the organization and become a more connected team. 

 

DEI Consultant

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

DEI Training – An Overview of Topics

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DEI Training – An Overview of Topics

 

There are a range of options when it comes to DEI training topics. 

The point of DEI training topics is to bring diverse groups of employees together to contribute to organizations more constructively. From communication and compassion to equity and justice, here are all the topics you can expect to find in DEI training that are worth dedicating your future time and resources to as well. 

1. Verbal & Physical Communication

Social media has made it more important than ever for businesses to be open about their perspectives and opinions on many societal topics if they want to stay in the public eye. In order to show their support for their employees, businesses must take a position when a subject or social issue is raised. Here is where diversity and inclusion are connected to communication.

Leaders have an obligation to all employees, regardless of age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, cultural background, disability, etc., to create a place where staff feel valued and respected. It is one thing for a business to publicly declare their support for, say, the LGBTQIA+ community; it is quite another to take concrete action to demonstrate this support.

2. Equity

In the procedures, processes, and allocation of resources by institutions or systems, equity is the promotion of justice, objectivity, and fairness. Understanding the underlying causes of result discrepancies within our society is necessary to address equity challenges. All institutions and systems should equally serve each person, without exceptions. As a DEI professional, your responsibility is to examine whether the organization is giving equal opportunities to everyone. 

When addressing an equity challenge, a DEI coach should first understand the reason why there is no equity to be able to later change that. It is their mission to find solutions that work for everyone and allow the organization to truly live the DEI concept, not only preach it. 

3. Justice

Justice cannot exist without equity, both in theory and in reality. Fundamentally, justice is fairness. Having what you require to function in a society that is undergoing constant change is fair and just. And because each person has unique intersections and identities, problems, and privileges, that look different for each person.

Everyone needs a place to live, therefore justice may look like affordable housing for those who cannot afford a mortgage. Everyone deserves access to information they can understand, even if it means tests and materials printed in languages other than English. 

Justice might entail having a voice in politics, having the ability to vote, having access to equitable education for everybody, being able to use public facilities with a partner of the same gender, receiving health benefits, and having laws that prohibit people from losing their jobs because of their size.

4. Compassion

When we talk about DEI today, compassion is sometimes absent or overlooked as a cornerstone of efforts since it is about how to perceive the world from someone else’s perspective. Compassion is defined as empathy plus action.

Too often, we discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion in terms of what we shouldn’t be doing. However, compassion is necessary to comprehend why some behaviors are not inclusive and may even injure someone else, as well as to foster an environment of equity and inclusion inside an organization. DEI requires a rethink that places compassion at its core.

We are currently seeing polarization and fear around us. Sometimes unknowingly, we bring our emotions and our varied viewpoints to the workplace. When it comes to establishing an inclusive culture in any organization, compassion, which enables us to take into consideration where another person may be coming from, is crucial.

5. Stereotypes

You may already be aware that a stereotype is a preconceived idea about a specific individual or group of people that assumes they are all the same. We frequently pass judgment on people in this way without proper understanding or support. Although it shouldn’t exist, this way of thinking is prevalent in most workplaces. 

In the workplace, stereotypes can lead to conflict, low morale, low productivity, and a host of other undesirable outcomes. Progress will be substantially hampered if your employees respond according to stereotypes rather than letting their coworkers complete the tasks they are given. You can use gamification strategies to challenge stereotypes in a non-convenient way. 

6. Unconscious Bias

With good reason, this is one of the most popular diversity training topics. Unconscious bias is frequently regarded as one of the main barriers to diversity. Unconscious prejudice is the number one adversary of innovation, according to some. 

When our minds tell us that people who think, look, and act like us are safer/better than those who don’t, unconscious bias training is helpful. If we think in this way, we must shift our thinking since diverse individuals will contribute unique qualities and viewpoints that will ultimately foster growth.

7. Racism

Given everything that is going on in the world right now around racism, leaders must cover this subject in any diversity training. We wouldn’t be done with the part if we concentrated on the negative effects of racism. Let’s now discuss some positive outcomes that can occur in a workplace where racism is not tolerated. 

More innovation and creativity will be produced by employees for companies with encouraging workplaces. You can utilize many different platforms to put together your presentation if you’re thinking of developing a course or training using racism, minorities, and ethnicity as one of your key topics. It has an effective authoring tool for which no specialized knowledge is required.

8. Microaggressions at Work

Microaggression is a crucial subject that is frequently ignored in diversity education workshops. Microaggression is the term used to characterize the unintentional or intentional insults or slights that are made to underrepresented individuals in your workforce daily, whether they are vocal, nonverbal, or environmental in their nature. If this is not addressed right away, it may result in very low morale and poor output.

These concepts unfortunately don’t often stick. If DEI training topics aren’t directed into the future, the DEI training isn’t creating lasting impact. Which not only hurts companies and their employees, yet can hurt the DEI consultant as well who is putting on the training. Learning to work with a DEI consultant or a DEI coach can help. 

DEI Consultant

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

DEI Coach

DEI Coach: Supporting Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity 

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DEI Coach: Supporting Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity 

 

Although leadership coaching is a well-known concept, a DEI coach will elevate leadership to a whole new level. The acronym DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and allows trained DEI professionals to help others through coaching to develop inclusive, authentic leadership at the highest levels.

The DEI coaching is not a typical leadership development experience, where a coach watches from the sidelines, offers suggestions and then throws the individual to the wolves. It’s a time-consuming exercise that transforms and teaches how to achieve the things mentioned below:

  • improving cultural sensitivity,
  • encouraging equity at work,
  • adopting a deliberate strategy,
  • demonstrating courageous communication,
  • bolstering a workable DEI approach,
  • encouraging a sense of community.

The Role of a DEI Coach

Executives can dive headfirst into inclusive leadership with the help of DEI coaching. When applied, leadership starts to act on its commitments to inclusion and diversity rather than just talking the talk and not doing anything about it. Executives are becoming more responsible for the strategies, plans, and initiatives that enhance DEI in the organization. 

Together, leaders and the coach discuss the objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), and problems facing the business. After that, they build a unique and actionable DEI leadership development strategy. The leadership team can then successfully continue with their efforts with the assistance of a qualified coach.

A company’s executives might not be aware of how inclusion, equity, and diversity are reflected in the workplace. They won’t be able to lead well or solve challenges if diversity issues are invisible to them. A DEI coach can help in that situation by doing a social dynamics audit of the business and guiding the leadership team in identifying workplace injustices. 

Leadership will be in a better position to plan and carry out programming and strategic initiatives in the future when they can see and understand the dynamics of DEI in the organization. Coaching puts the executives in a better position to contribute meaningfully to the initiatives even if they aren’t the ones in charge of the implementation directly.

How DEI Coaching Affects Organizations

The fear of making mistakes is one of the main obstacles to business success. Many members of the leadership teams can have high ideals for inclusion and diversity yet be afraid to take risks or make mistakes. The anxiety of wrongdoing is reduced with a DEI coach. 

More importantly, a DEI coach will provide a safe environment for leadership to experiment with various tactics. A team is often able to expand on the DEI programming and implement the changes that radically alter the workplace culture of the company in the safe space that a coach fosters.

Being open and candid about DEI difficulties at work is not always simple. A significant opportunity for progress arises when your leadership team has a secure space to share opinions, worries, and views around DEI. You may lower your guard, be honest, and practice fearless communication with DEI coaching. By being open with your DEI coach, you and your team may be inspired to challenge constricting viewpoints and adopt more accepting, diversity-conscious practices.

It is ideal to have a coach on hand for guidance if there is a fire in the office caused by problems with diversity, equity, and inclusion. As problems arise, a DEI coach can provide continuing support in real-time. If you see that your team is frequently experiencing issues with diversity, equity. And inclusion, put a DEI coach on the fast dial so they can offer advice when necessary.

Lastly, DEI plans appear to be a fantastic idea on paper, yet stakeholders, potential employees. And other parties want to see evidence of your company’s commitment to the project. Prospects are strongly influenced when they realize that your business takes DEI seriously. It creates a welcoming atmosphere that could eventually increase your business’s marketability. Your organization can be recognized as a good place to work and partner with because of the leadership team’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

DEI Coaching As a Long-term Solution

Because it takes more than one training session to become a coach and because developing a coaching culture within an organization requires significant change, coaching has never been and will never be a quick fix. Instead, coaching should be a long-term approach to fostering an accepting culture, one that is founded on caring, open, and productive dialogues.

The culmination of every individual conduct is the company culture. No matter how big or small, a change in an organization always begins with one person acting differently. Because coaching enables employees to speak with one another, significant improvements can be achieved that will help the business move forward.

Every time we assist a business with the implementation of a coaching program or deal with DEI concerns, we keep in mind that businesses are made up of people. And for change to be accomplished at the organizational level, these people will need to look beyond themselves to recognize a pattern of prejudice. The dialogue you have with others and with yourself should and can serve as the beginning of that shift. We may make significant strides toward increasing workplace diversity if coaching can help to steer these talks in a compassionate, open, and constructive direction.

Coaching that Confronts Bias

Companies’ traditional approaches to diversity and inclusion training have had mixed results in terms of developing leaders. Leaders depart with knowledge yet without the abilities to affect change. Results will last longer if coaching programs and DEI programs are combined. Coaching may build the skills required to develop inclusive workplace environments and increase employee engagement. High-performing firms make coaching available to managers and staff at all levels.

When it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion, DEI coaching can mean the difference between putting your plans on hold and successfully implementing a meaningful DEI strategy. It makes sense that not all businesses are able to employ internal DEI personnel. Employing a DEI coach can be a potent substitute. The moment has come for your business to put its diversity, equity, and inclusion goals into action and foster an inclusive workplace environment.

 

DEI Consultant

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do.