Navigating Conflict in a Growing Business
From: "Help! My Business is Growing" Podcast
As a business owner, having difficult conversations with employees or clients is an unavoidable part of growing your company.
These conversations can be uncomfortable, stressful, and even overwhelming.
It's natural to want to procrastinate and not have to deal with the problem at all.
However, delaying these talks can lead to bigger issues for your business.
So, how can you approach these conversations with more confidence, ease, and effectiveness?
In this episode, our guest Sheila Lambert and I discuss how to manage these “difficult conversations” so that they will be productive and have a positive outcome. She shares tips on preparing for these “tough talks” and how empathy and active listening can help the situation.
Sheila Lambert is the President and Founder of Lambert Leadership Coaching, LLC. She brings over 30 years of experience as a therapist and Executive Coach, empowering thousands of women who advanced in their careers and are at the forefront of their companies through self-discovery.
Sheila works creatively and collaboratively with organizations to help elevate and advance their leaders. Aside from having over 450 hours of academic training and over 1700 hours in ongoing continuing education training, Sheila has an MS in Organizational Leadership and an MS in Counseling.
In this week's episode, we discuss:
03:04 How can you prepare yourself to have difficult conversations with employees and clients so they are more productive and have a positive outcome?
05:07 How can we better understand the other party's perspective or who you are having the difficult conversation with?
12:41 How can you support an employee struggling with work-related issues and hesitant to speak out and make them feel more comfortable and confident in having these conversations?
27:19 Are there guidelines for having difficult conversations with employees or clients from different cultures to navigate potential cultural differences and ensure effective communication?
33:06 What is one actionable step that you would recommend someone to take in the next week if they need to have a difficult conversation and are struggling to approach it?
Transcript
Listen to the podcast here:
How can you prepare yourself to have difficult conversations with employees and clients so they are more productive and have a positive outcome?
Identify the type of conversation and whether it's about you, the other person, or a situation. This will help you understand your perspective and prepare accordingly.
Reflect on any actions or words that may have led to the conflict and try to see things from the other person's point of view.
Think about possible outcomes and have a plan for how to address them.
Actively listen and remain professional during the conversation.
How can we better understand the other party's perspective or who you are having the difficult conversation with?
In a difficult conversation, it's important to understand the other person's perspective.
One way to do this is to prepare yourself by:
Setting the stage and identifying what you need to leave behind in order to focus on the other person.
Considering who the other person is and why you anticipate the conversation will be difficult.
Ask yourself if something else might be going on with them that you need to understand before jumping into the conversation.
Trying to see things from their point of view and thinking about how they might be feeling.
“Prepare for the (difficult) conversation with tactical tools: preparing questions, knowing what to leave behind, and practicing active listening. That's really where the magic begins to happen.” - Sheila Lambert
How can you support an employee struggling with work-related issues and hesitant to speak out and make them feel more comfortable and confident in having these conversations?
By creating a psychologically safe environment and fostering open communication, you can help your employees feel more comfortable and confident in speaking out / airing out their concerns.
Approach them with care and compassion, using open-ended questions to understand their perspective.
Avoid asking accusatory questions, which can put them on the defensive and make them feel unsafe.
This is a good time to look within yourself and your organization as well. Assess leadership styles and the culture of your workplace; could they be contributing to the issue?
Are there guidelines for having difficult conversations with employees or clients from different cultures to navigate potential cultural differences and ensure effective communication?
When you are communicating with someone from a different cultural background, it's important to be mindful of potential cultural differences that could impact the conversation.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Be aware of cultural differences. Different cultures may have different communication styles, customs, and norms so adjust your communication style accordingly.
Be respectful and empathetic to build trust and create a more positive outcome.
Use simple language and avoid jargon for clarity and to limit the chances of misunderstandings.
Ask for feedback and clarification to ensure that both parties are on the same page.
What is one actionable step that you would recommend someone to take in the next week if they need to have a difficult conversation and are struggling to approach it?
Before diving into the conversation, make sure you are rested and you’re in the right mindset. It's hard to be productive and effective if you're not feeling your best.
Prepare for the conversation as well, think about what you want to say and how you want to say it. It's also important to anticipate potential responses, so you're not caught off guard during the conversation.
Practice active listening and understand the other person's point of view and finally, find support or someone to coach you to give you the confidence to tackle the conversation.
We go in-depth with this topic and more over at the podcast. Listen here:
To Recap:
1. Proper preparation is crucial when having difficult conversations with employees or clients.
2. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes by seeing things from their point of view, leaving behind personal biases, understanding their feelings, and assessing if something else might be going on with them.
3. Foster open communications by creating safe spaces and assessing leadership styles and your culture.
4. Be mindful of potential cultural differences when dealing with team members from other countries and adjust your communication style accordingly.
5. Manage difficult conversations by preparing potential responses, engaging in active listening and finding support to boost your confidence.
About Sheila Lambert
President and Founder
Lambert Leadership Coaching, LLC
Sheila Lambert is the President and Founder of Lambert Leadership Coaching, LLC and she brings over 30 years of experience as a therapist and Executive Coach, empowering thousands of women who advanced in their careers and are at the forefront of their companies through self-discovery.
Sheila works creatively and collaboratively with organizations to help elevate and advance their leaders. Aside from having over 450 hours of academic training, and over 1700 hours in ongoing continuing education training, Sheila has an MS in Organizational Leadership and an MS in Counseling.
She is also a Licensed Counselor, a Certified Workplace Wellness Professional and a Stress Mastery coach. She is a graduate of the COVID-19 Transitional Leadership Course, which positions her to lead and support organizations strategically.
Sheila is a sought after Speaker, and a Leaders advocate, and she supports and donates percentages of proceeds from her business to many nonprofit organizations, especially the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, as she has had many people in her life succumb to Cancer.
Website: https://lambertleadershipcoaching.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-lambert-ms-mladc-lcs-cwwa-3a074531/
Email: sheila@lambertleadershipcoaching.com
Resources:
by Kathy Svetina
Kathy is a Fractional CFO and the founder and director of NewCastle Finance LLC. She is a financial puzzle solver, focusing on women-owned businesses, and providing financial insights needed for a healthy and sustainable business.