One of the bigger challenges for many lab managers is learning how to manage and resolve conflict. Despite how difficult and frustrating this activity can be, it is a key responsibility for lab managers. Staff rely on us to investigate, sort out, and help resolve the conflicts, large and small, that occur whenever people work closely together. There is much to be gained for the lab when the lab manager can approach conflict with a calm, kind, supportive, and curious mindset. Here are five tips to help you improve your ability to understand, manage, and resolve conflict around the lab:
Understand the roots of conflict
Conflict between individuals in the lab can start anywhere, from a misunderstanding around the details of an experiment, to a divergent worldview based on their natural personality types. Many conflicts originate as issues of substance: disagreements that can be supported by facts, data, and technical observations. However, these conflicts can escalate to issues of emotions that are driven by feelings and are impacted by the treatment and history of the relationship. Issues of substance can be healthy and natural parts of the scientific process; conflicts around emotions need to be investigated, managed, and resolved.
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Benefits of resolving conflicts
While resolving conflicts takes effort, time, and persistence, there are great benefits to the lab for that investment. When conflicts are truly resolved, we can improve the work environment, deepen work relationships, increase productivity, generate greater engagement, find answers to important problems, and reduce friction in the staff. It is beneficial to learn to surface conflicts and address them rather than letting them grow and fester among the staff.
Positive confrontation skills
One way to improve your ability to manage conflict in the lab is to develop positive confrontation skills. Lab managers will see immediate benefits when they can consistently and confidently identify and surface conflict, examine and investigate the causes, use positive communication to address difficult conversations, and engage with courage. In addition, it is important to reduce any collusion habits like ignoring the signs of conflict, denying or repressing conflict, or forming habitual but dysfunctional alliances with staff.
Investigating a conflict
To satisfactorily resolve a conflict requires an impartial investigation. It is vital to talk to both sides early into the issue, before starting to judge or evaluate options. Get a broader perspective by talking to a range of people. Seek diverse opinions about what is going on. Ask good questions to specify the details of the disagreement. Use active listening to learn as much as possible before seeking options and solutions.
Essential steps to conflict resolution
There are a series of essential steps for positive resolutions of conflicts. The lab manager needs to create a safe environment for sharing, and to open conversations with appreciation and an intention to find win/win solutions. It is important to find agreement on what the problem is and to start with any available facts. By clarifying perceptions and focusing on individual and shared needs, options for a solution can be found and put into action.
Managing unhealthy conflict in the lab can be very challenging. Developing an objective process for investigating and resolving disagreements will improve the work environment and enhance the depth of staff collaboration and cooperation.
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