Focus on Influence, Not Intent, to Resolve Differences
Getting into an argument is always difficult, whether at work or in your personal life. You can more easily resolve differences by directing the conversation to the impact of each person’s actions rather than their intentions.
Lauren Bacon, writing in 99u, gives some examples of how to start a discussion:
If you suspect that talking about intent and impact is appropriate, try bringing up the topic from the beginning, for example, “I’m not sure what your intent was when you made this comment, but the influence on me was ________” or “I” m worried that when I said X it could have had an unintended effect of ________. “Then invite the other person to share their point of view and try to listen to them with an open mind.
Once you’ve come to an agreement, you can follow a few simple steps to “make up” and deepen your bond . Additional tips on how to resolve differences can be found in the full post at the link below.
5 Questions You Will Need to Resolve Disagreements in the Workplace | 99u