As a business owner, you are faced with the challenging job of keeping everyone happy and sometimes that may mean at your own expense. What do I mean? Occasionally, clients will not honor the procedures you have in place or perhaps an aggravated programmer gives push back when ANOTHER change request is made by a client. Whether you are dealing with clients or employees, navigating conflict can be tricky. After all, we are in industry where people are paying high price points for solutions that will ultimately put the final touches on their dream home. So what do you do when things go awry and there is no easy solution?

This blog is to discuss what conflict can look like when three easy tools are put in place to help manage the situation.

1. Stick to the facts: Often times it easy to get caught up in trying to please everyone. It is part of our job to keep the customer happy and coming back for more. That said, it is always important to stay neutral and let the facts guide your decisions. This will protect everyone involved and take the pressure off of you!

2. Be in the moment: It’s easy in a gnarly situation to rehash all of the mistakes and problems the client or employee has been responsible for in the past. This is why it is imperative you stay in the moment and troubleshoot the new conflict with a fresh look – almost as if it is the first time there has been an issue. Keeping score doesn’t help, and many times will just escalate.

3. Use it for good: Out of each trial is the chance to create opportunity. Examine the current issue you are resolving and create a solution that will limit the odds of the same issue of occurring. Maybe there is even room to create a boundary that will protect you and your team in a way that wasn’t possible before.

I find that when I use these tactics, I often carry a lot less stress than I normally would. Give it a try and let us know what you think!