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others. Notice the experience of those who seem withdrawn or disengaged. Is there something going
on that contributes to their behavior? Have a conversation. Plan what you are going to say. Describe
what you saw or heard and what is working or not working. Stick to facts and be descriptive. Offer
specific suggestions for improvement. Focus on one issue at a time. Giving feedback on several
issues at a time might feel like an attack. Be timely. Conversations of this type don’t mean that
everyone will be happy afterwards. Just do it. Show that you’re trying to create a respectful, open,
honest work environment.
14. Struggle with disagreement? Handle conflict caused by differences respectfully and skillfully.
Disagreement is inevitable when people have different perspectives, experiences, styles, cultures.
One person may think one way, due to their background, and another person may think differently.
But conflict is not a bad thing. Resolved effectively, it can lead to greater awareness and
understanding of different perspectives and cultures. It can help you handle differences more
productively and openly next time. Handled poorly, it can be damaging. It can lead to negative
feelings and continued bias toward those who are different from you. Try the FREAS approach when
dealing with conflict:
• Face up to your role, if any, in the conflict and the impact on the team and your relationship with
them. Take accountability.
• Reframe the issue in terms of a business need and a development opportunity, rather than about
personal issues.
• Explore the other person’s perspective by asking questions, gathering information, and actively
listening.
• Agree to a solution or strategy.
• Support each other to live up to the agreement.
15. Unsure what to do next? Create an action plan. It’s easy to say, “I’m going to start valuing
differences in others.” But it’s harder to do. Create an action plan. Pick an action that will address an
issue in your work environment. Resolving a conflict between two team members. Asking for input
from a team member who’s often ignored. Putting together a team with different perspectives. Write
down why this issue is important to you, what might keep you from addressing it, and how this action
will benefit you. Then, think about how this action will help others and your organization. Identify
specific opportunities or situations you can use to apply your action. Think about what
support/resources you might need to implement it. Be as detailed as possible. Set a clear time frame.
Share your action plan with a trusted coworker. This will increase the accountability and likelihood
that you’ll follow through.
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