Effective Leadership: Resolving Conflicts With Star Employees was originally published on Ivy Exec.
Star employees are the key to beating the toughest competitors and getting the right clients. Their innovativeness and creativity make them more productive and efficient.
Many high-performing employees are self-driven and sometimes headstrong. While such qualities make them more effective in their roles, they can also cause conflict. Sometimes, such workers may ignore directives if they feel an alternative could bring better results. They might also sideline other team members during collaborative projects.
As a leader, it’s important to be strategic when solving issues with star employees. Using the wrong methods may make them feel less appreciated. It might lower their work morale and affect their productivity.
Are you wondering how to resolve conflicts without losing your star employees? Here are some tips.
👉 Find Out the Cause of the Issue
Conflicts with your best employees may arise for several reasons. For example, you might set unrealistic expectations and cause burnout. You may also overwhelm them with many duties, causing them to make mistakes they would avoid otherwise. Conflicts may also arise due to the lack of proper communication.
Find out the cause of conflict with your star employee by scheduling a sit-down. During the meeting, raise your concerns and ask them to do the same. Allow the employee to explain their situation and ask questions to gather more details.
Star employees may sometimes feel frustrated by other things in their lives. For example, they might struggle with health conditions or strained relationships. Such issues could affect their focus at work and make them more irritable.
Don’t rule out personal matters when investigating the cause of conflicts with employees. Find out if recent changes in their lives are affecting their work. Be empathetic to their situation and offer help where you can. You may also recommend resources to help them deal with personal issues.
👉 Accommodate Their Concerns
Making accommodations is a great way to reestablish a good relationship with an employee. Use this method if they fail to meet deadlines due to a heavy workload. Give them more time to do their work or relieve them of some duties. You may also pair them with another employee to get the job done faster.
Another situation where accommodations may be suitable is if varying opinions cause problems. Embrace the worker’s suggestions and try to look at things from their point of view. Encourage healthy debate and be open to their suggestions.
👉 Practice Active Listening
Active listening when solving issues makes you an effective leader. If you are keen, you can understand underlying concerns even when someone doesn’t outrightly mention them. You will be able to get their emotion and read into non-verbal cues.
Every employee wants a boss who shows genuine interest when trying to solve an issue. They want leaders who can validate their emotions and meet their needs. Practicing active listening will help your employees open up to you. It allows you to create a safe space where they can raise their concerns without fearing that you will punish them later.
Resolving conflicts with star employees will be easier if they trust you. Active listening shows that you respect them and are willing to hear them out. It encourages employees to be more transparent. You can solve conflicts more quickly if you build trust through active listening.
One way to listen actively is by giving your employees full attention when you meet them. Put away your devices and maintain eye contact. Avoid interrupting even when they say something you need to correct immediately.
👉 Offer Constructive Feedback
Providing helpful feedback allows employees to see how their behavior affects you and others at the company. It helps emphasize the need for change and how everyone may benefit.
When addressing conflicts with your star employees, use examples. Mention specific cases where their behavior or opinion affected a project or the workplace. Help them see the bigger picture by illustrating how a different cause of action would have been better.
Mentioning other parties when offering feedback to your employees may cause them to be defensive. If, for example, you tell them that another employee raised the issue, they may see this as an attack. Their differences with other staff may affect their judgment and make it harder to solve the problem.
Avoid mentioning other staff when resolving conflicts with employees. For example, let them know that you noticed they don’t like collaborating instead of saying someone reported this to you.
Using this strategy will make the employee more receptive. It helps them view the concern as feedback instead of an attack on their behavior.
Here are other tips for offering feedback during conflict resolution:
- Focus on specific behavior instead of their character
- Use facts instead of subjective assumptions
- Avoid offering the feedback in a public place or staff meeting
- Be empathetic when offering feedback
👉 Involve Star Employees During Resolution
Making your best employees a part of the conflict resolution process has many benefits. It helps them realize their mistakes, encouraging accountability. Besides, you can show them better ways of dealing with issues with other workers instead of letting them affect their work.
Involve employees when implementing changes to make the workplace better. Consult them when weighing major decisions that may impact their role. Find mutually acceptable solutions by considering their interests and career goals.
Letting your employees know what you expect from them is vital when resolving conflict. Involve everyone affected by the matter and ensure they understand the role they played.
After that, mention what they need to do to avoid such matters in the future. It’s also good to remind them about their duties and responsibilities. You can also emphasize how working together helps everyone do their duties better while meeting the firm’s goals.
Giving your star employees a leadership role is a great way to involve them when solving conflict. Give them a team to lead so they can learn how to deal with disputes better. Help them learn to accommodate varying opinions by putting them in charge of team discussions.
Be Smart to Retain Your Best Employees
Resolving conflicts doesn’t just improve job satisfaction and performance. It shows your employees that you value them and their contribution to the brand. It allows you to fix the root cause and retain top talent.
With the tips we’ve discussed, you can avoid tension and make your workplace better. You’ll also encourage open communication and show your employees you care.
