I recently completed a course on mentoring and coaching. It is evident and clear that the knowledge I gained is applicable to anyone who has ever provided feedback, encountered problems, and attempted to resolve them.
In this article, I will strive to share the key principles I have learned and retained on this topic.
There are several essential skills that one needs to continuously develop in order to have successful and productive interactions with people in a team.
Ecological Communication and Feedback
Motivation
Conflict Resolution and Mediation Solutions
Feedback
Feedback corrects a person's behavior if they are doing something incorrectly and confirms that everything is fine if they are acting appropriately.
Feedback cannot be replaced by instructions. Instructions simply convey how to act, while feedback explains what was done incorrectly, its impact, and what agreements can help prevent future issues.
Feedback can effectively change undesirable behavior if it includes the following elements:
Action: what the person did in a specific situation
Result: the outcome or consequences of their actions
Impact: how the person's behavior affected others and the outcome
Agreement: suggestions or agreements on how the person should behave in the future
If any of these elements are missing, feedback is unlikely to achieve its intended purpose.
Principles:
Provide feedback individually.
Focus on actions, not the person's qualities.
Avoid making assumptions.
Deliver corrective feedback in private.
Provide feedback promptly.
Maintain a balance between praise and constructive criticism.
But feedback is not always constructive.
Toxic feedback
Toxic communication violates the principles of respectful communication and pursues specific goals:
Demonstrating superiority or power.
Strengthening one's position at the expense of others.
Appropriating achievements.
Establishing dependence or engaging in manipulation.
Key manifestations of toxic communication include:
Active and passive aggression.
Comments about a person's qualities rather than their actions.
Feedback that is always negative.
Violation of personal boundaries.
Shifting responsibility.
There are instances where feedback is given according to all the rules, but there is no result. In such cases, the following actions can be taken:
Investigate the reasons and attempt to solve the problem.
Involve a third party as an observer or mediator.
Accept the existing behavior or part ways.
Conflicts
The most common causes of workplace conflicts are:
Lack of understanding between the parties involved.
One party feeling their interests are being undermined.
Fundamental differences in perspectives on the situation.
Toxic company culture, where intrigue, reproach, and personal attacks become the norm for employees.
Conflict always indicates a specific problem. And if you start acting timely and appropriately, you can not only resolve the conflict itself but also address its root cause.
How to behave if you are involved in a conflict?
To effectively handle a conflict, it is important to prepare in advance by:
Identifying a common goal with the other party.
Formulating your position and arguments.
Reflecting on how to express your emotions.
During the discussion, it is beneficial to follow a conflict resolution algorithm to ensure that the conversation remains constructive and does not drag on:
Clearly state the meeting's objective.
Define the essence of the conflict and identify common interests.
Express and explain your position.
Discuss and formulate a mutually agreeable solution.
Document the agreements reached.
How to conduct conflict mediation
It is necessary to intervene in a conflict if:
Elements of toxic communication are present.
Overall productivity is declining, and the team atmosphere is suffering.
Regular conflicts impede the ability to make collaborative decisions.
To help resolve the conflict, it is advisable to follow these steps:
Offer assistance and obtain consent from the conflicting parties.
Gather information about the conflict.
Conduct a discussion with the participants, following a conflict resolution algorithm
But what if the conflict remains unresolved? Sometimes, even when all the rules are followed, a conflict may remain unresolved. This can happen if the conflict has escalated from a work-related issue to a personal one, if it repeatedly occurs, or if the opponents have clashed on a fundamental matter.
In such cases, it may be necessary to limit interaction between the conflicting employees by redistributing responsibilities and avoiding shared tasks. If this approach proves ineffective, considering transferring one of the employees to a different department could be an option.
If persistent conflicts continue to harm the team, sometimes termination becomes the only solution
Motivation
The self-determination theory by Deci and Ryan distinguishes between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation depends on whether a person enjoys engaging in a particular activity. It is activated when an individual wants to fulfill their basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness with others.
Extrinsic motivation is associated with external factors such as rewards, evaluations, and rules.
Signs of demotivation can vary depending on an individual's personality, but here are some common ones:
Ignoring minor tasks and frequently missing deadlines.
Lack of attentiveness and low concentration on tasks.
Disengagement from colleagues and team leaders.
Increased conflict-proneness.
Indifference toward work outcomes.
Action Steps:
Observation: Monitor the person's behavior.
Diagnosis: Identify the problems.
Intervention: Collaboratively explore the problem and search for solutions.
Debrief: Formulate the solution and action plan.
Monitoring: Observe the employee's behavior after the one-on-one meeting.
That's all for today! 😊
Comments