Reduce Conflicts
 in Your Workplace

 

Managers and supervisors spend nearly 20% of their time resolving personality clashes between employees, according to one study.

That figure was cited by Linda R. Rosene, author of "Civil War in the American Workplace.”

 

"Workplace conflicts are increasing," agreed Rosene. "Personality conflicts are usually at the core of difficulty, when organizations are not growing fast enough or are growing too fast," said Rosene.

 

Increased market competition with areas of the world where labor is cheap...rapid business pace...job insecurity and company restructuring...add stress to the work environment. "Stress tends to bring out the worst in people, and often leads to conflict," said Rosene.

 

In her book, Rosene addressed the problem of workplace conflict. She suggested tools employers can bring into the workplace to help employees understand each other and to reduce conflicts.

 

Rosene said employers can begin to reduce workplace conflict by making an assessment of the strengths and liabilities of their own and other key employees’ personality types. Ideally, the personality assessment can then be continued down through the ranks when time and finances allow.

 

"Behavior occurs in patterns, although not set in concrete," said Rosene. "Our natural, automatic behaviors may collide with coworkers’ or with customers’ behaviors if we’re not aware and don’t adjust our behavior. The best employee is self-aware, aware of their own behavior style," said Rosene.

 

Following her civil war theme, Rosene used military terms to describe those four basic behavior styles:

 

Top Gun. The Top Gun personality must be in control. That’s a strength for a leader, since the Top Gun takes the initiative, said Rosene. It’s also a liability because the Top Gun can limit an organization’s growth...trying to be a one-man show, rather than delegating responsibilities.

 

The Top Gun is competitive and wants to be boss...give orders rather than take them. Top Guns are our risk-takers and entrepreneurs, said Rosene. A Top Gun style employee will also take initiative, but can easily overstep workplace boundaries she shouldn’t. A Top Gun style person as a team member may be disruptive if meetings get long-winded. The Top Gun individual will only be a good team player if there are well-defined goals, said Rosene.

 

Palace Guard. The Palace Guard personality is dynamic, people-oriented and emotional, said Rosene. They’re the image-makers and can "sell themselves" easily. They are true marketers and can influence other people. When Palace Guards become managers, said Rosene, they need to remain objective, focusing on performance rather than personality. They should avoid managing by emotion.

 

Infantry. The Infantry personality is a good workhorse, said Rosene. They persevere and follow through. Rosene said as leaders, the Infantry types are patient, tolerant coaches and mentors. As leaders and as employees, Infantry employees move mountains...one shovel full at a time.

 

Their liability? As managers and supervisors, rather than cause conflict, they’ll tolerate another informal "peer" leader who then undermines their authority.

 

When leading, the Infantry style individual needs to stay focused on performance and not be intimidated, said Rosene.

 

Military Police.The MPs believe that things should be done "by the book." They like efficiency and are quality-oriented, detail-oriented perfectionists. They serve a useful role as an impetus for excellence in the workplace.

 

Military Police types need to focus more on doing the right things -- being effective -- and less on just being right, said Rosene. Once made aware of their natural tendency to be critical of others, the MPs must learn to operate less critically in an imperfect workplace.

 

All the personality types play a valuable role in a successful organization. But they’ll also clash unless employees become aware of their own styles and coworkers’ styles and try to avoid behaviors that will cause workplace conflicts.

 

Rosene cited an example: A Palace Guard employee rummages through files and leaves the office space of her Military Police coworker in total disarray in her attempt to find some paperwork she needs. However, self-aware and catching her own insensitivity before leaving the aghast MP’s office, the Palace Guard employee turns around and apologizes, "I’m sorry I made such a mess of your office. Let me help straighten up." Conflict is avoided and a relationship saved.

 

How does an employer raise awareness of behavior types among employees? Rosene suggested the employer use a personality assessment tool to profile each employee. Then give them a copy of the report and consult one-on-one about their behavioral style and its strengths and liabilities in their particular job.

 

When hiring, Rosene suggested the employer profile the applicant to make sure their behavioral style matches the job. "When performance and job satisfaction are high, conflict decreases," said Rosene.