Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of performance through strong human relations,
team building, and goal of giving. This is the seven Minute Leadership
Podcast with your host Paul fella Aldo. Hello everyone, and welcome to the
Seven Minute Leadership Podcast, Episode one seventy and let's talk about navigating conflict as
an EMS chief. One of the key challenges I face is managing conflict within
my team. In high pressure situations, differences in opinion and misunderstandings can happen,
potentially impacting the team's effectiveness and overall mission. So for this episode,
I want to outline the diplomatic approach I use to handle conflicts within my team.
And if you listen to the last episode, I said communication is always
on every list, Well, here we go again. Establishing a culture of
open communication is crucial in preventing conflicts from escalating. You have to encourage team
members to express their opinions, concerns, and ideas freely, so you can
create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. Regularly scheduled team meetings,
briefings, debriefings, and informal check ins also provide platforms for individuals to voice
their thoughts, facilitating a proactive approach to conflict resolution and when conflicts arise,
it is essential to practice active listening. You have to allow team members to
express their perspectives fully and ensure their voices are heard. Active listening involves you
giving undivided attention, You seeking clarification and use summarizing the points being made.
This helps individuals feel validated and promotes a deeper understanding of their concerns, also
facilitating the resolution process. The biggest point I can make is the understanding that
conflict resolution should be a collaborative effort within the individuals having the conflict, rather
than a top down approach. When conflicts emerge, you should encourage team members
to work together to find mutually beneficial solutions. By involving everyone affected, you
not only empower individuals to take ownership of the problem, but also foster a
sense of shared responsibility in unity within the team and in more complex conflicts,
it may be necessary for you to act as a mediator or facilitator. As
an em chief, sometimes I play a vital role in guiding discussions, ensuring
a fair process, in providing support to help the team reach a resolution.
When you remain impartial an objective, you can help to bridge those gaps,
facilitate compromises, and build consensus among the conflicting parties. And also another important
concept is that feedback is a powerful tool for growth and conflict prevention. When
you can encourage team members to provide constructive feedback to each other. Emphasizing the
importance of maintaining a respectful in a solution oriented approach, team members can address
concerns early on, minimizing the potential for conflicts to escalate. You can also
document agreements made between both parties and be sure to follow up with them just
to make sure everything is still good. And the last point is offering training
in conflict resolution techniques so you can equip your team with valuable skills for navigating
conflicts effectively. Consider organizing workshops or inviting experts to provide training on conflict management,
communication, and negotiation. Providing your team with these resources will not only
enhance their professional development, but also strengthen their ability to handle conflicts constructively.
Conflict is inevitable with any team, especially in high pressure environments. People are
going to argue and verbally fight with each other. Welcome to what happens when
people are passionate about a project and cannot agree on a path forward. My
approach may not be the approach that suits you. I know many leaders that
prefer a direct and candid approach and speak openly and freely. Whichever approach choose,
always remember that a positive outcome is what's best for your team and your
organization. This has been the seven Minute Leadership Podcast and I thank you for
listening. For more Paul Fellovaledo podcasts, visit Paul Fellovaledo dot com