How to Increase Your Confidence when Addressing Workplace Issues
Sign up for a training course., Don’t worry about taking sides., Set out guidelines before you start., Be positive., Fake it until you make it., Take a time out., Help them to help themselves., Write it down., Keep up to date., Find a mentor.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Sign up for a training course.
Do it! If you’re a doctor, you wouldn’t dream of diagnosing someone without proper training and if you drive a forklift, you wouldn’t do so without gaining the necessary certificate or license.
So why when you start to manage people, would you assume you can just muddle through? Investing in a training course from a specialist company can equip you with the skills to deal with any issues which come your way, potentially saving your company money in the long run.
Rather than any dispute leading to costly legal action, you will be able to step in to mediate between employees before the situation escalates. -
Step 2: Don’t worry about taking sides.
While it’s human nature that the parties involved will be looking to play the blame game, if you’re leading a mediation process then your role is to remain impartial.
That means you don’t have to worry about sitting in judgement about who is right or wrong.
Just remember, you are there to help the parties reach an agreement about the best way forward , Think carefully about what you want to say at the outset, and even practicing a few times at home perhaps, you will give off an aura of confidence which will help employees feel that you are capable of helping them get through a difficult situation.
When settling a dispute, it’s important the parties involved know what it acceptable and what is not during discussions and negotiations. , It’s much easier to tell someone they are doing something well than set out what you feel they are doing wrong.
Even if you think behaviour has fallen below standards in the run up to you becoming involved, you can still let your employees know that you have every confidence in them going forward because you are positive they will be able to reach an agreement for the future. , Act confident, even if you don’t feel confident, act it.
Just as smiling or laughing for no apparent reason can make you feel happier, acting confident can lead to you feeling more self-assured.
Think about your posture and the signals your body language is sending out, walk tall and use hand gestures which invite openness. , If, when dealing with an issue between employees, the discussion becomes heated, don’t be afraid to take a break.
That way, the parties involved get a chance to cool down and you get a chance to think about how you will handle the situation to make sure everyone remains calm once they come back into the room. , Don’t feel too pressurised to hold all the solutions because your job in dealing with issues between employees is to help them to find the way forward themselves.
Encourage them to find compromises and to tell you what they think will work for everyone. , Having reached an agreement, put that in a document, using the employees own words and phrases to set out how everyone will work together in the future.
Having a written agreement should give everyone confidence that it will be adhered to. , By making sure you’re informed about the latest legal issues and the newest methods for dealing with any conflict or issues in the workplace, you’ll be arming yourself with the best tools to use day-to-day at work. , Mentors are invaluable no matter what rung of the career ladder you have reached.
You don’t have to be a junior member of staff to benefit from the advice of someone who has been there and done that.
If there’s no one suitable in your workplace, could you use networking events like business breakfasts to mingle with those who have been in your shoes or could you seek advice through social media? Finding out how others deal with difficult situations should help you to find the confidence to deal with your own. -
Step 3: Set out guidelines before you start.
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Step 4: Be positive.
-
Step 5: Fake it until you make it.
-
Step 6: Take a time out.
-
Step 7: Help them to help themselves.
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Step 8: Write it down.
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Step 9: Keep up to date.
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Step 10: Find a mentor.
Detailed Guide
Do it! If you’re a doctor, you wouldn’t dream of diagnosing someone without proper training and if you drive a forklift, you wouldn’t do so without gaining the necessary certificate or license.
So why when you start to manage people, would you assume you can just muddle through? Investing in a training course from a specialist company can equip you with the skills to deal with any issues which come your way, potentially saving your company money in the long run.
Rather than any dispute leading to costly legal action, you will be able to step in to mediate between employees before the situation escalates.
While it’s human nature that the parties involved will be looking to play the blame game, if you’re leading a mediation process then your role is to remain impartial.
That means you don’t have to worry about sitting in judgement about who is right or wrong.
Just remember, you are there to help the parties reach an agreement about the best way forward , Think carefully about what you want to say at the outset, and even practicing a few times at home perhaps, you will give off an aura of confidence which will help employees feel that you are capable of helping them get through a difficult situation.
When settling a dispute, it’s important the parties involved know what it acceptable and what is not during discussions and negotiations. , It’s much easier to tell someone they are doing something well than set out what you feel they are doing wrong.
Even if you think behaviour has fallen below standards in the run up to you becoming involved, you can still let your employees know that you have every confidence in them going forward because you are positive they will be able to reach an agreement for the future. , Act confident, even if you don’t feel confident, act it.
Just as smiling or laughing for no apparent reason can make you feel happier, acting confident can lead to you feeling more self-assured.
Think about your posture and the signals your body language is sending out, walk tall and use hand gestures which invite openness. , If, when dealing with an issue between employees, the discussion becomes heated, don’t be afraid to take a break.
That way, the parties involved get a chance to cool down and you get a chance to think about how you will handle the situation to make sure everyone remains calm once they come back into the room. , Don’t feel too pressurised to hold all the solutions because your job in dealing with issues between employees is to help them to find the way forward themselves.
Encourage them to find compromises and to tell you what they think will work for everyone. , Having reached an agreement, put that in a document, using the employees own words and phrases to set out how everyone will work together in the future.
Having a written agreement should give everyone confidence that it will be adhered to. , By making sure you’re informed about the latest legal issues and the newest methods for dealing with any conflict or issues in the workplace, you’ll be arming yourself with the best tools to use day-to-day at work. , Mentors are invaluable no matter what rung of the career ladder you have reached.
You don’t have to be a junior member of staff to benefit from the advice of someone who has been there and done that.
If there’s no one suitable in your workplace, could you use networking events like business breakfasts to mingle with those who have been in your shoes or could you seek advice through social media? Finding out how others deal with difficult situations should help you to find the confidence to deal with your own.
About the Author
Timothy Carter
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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