You’re a healthcare professional dealing with conflict. How can you keep your cool?

One thing I've found helpful is to read the body language of my coworkers and managers. In my experience, a big chunk of communication is not expressed verbally, in most cases, due to not being able to put into words what you are thinking. Once I read their body language, I naturally find myself asking if there is something they'd like to talk about. Opening the window of feedback and clear communication is a must in healthy cultures.

If your relationship is on that stage that you may have a conflict then a prior step that needs to be added is to accept that you have a conflict. We can only resolve the things that we acknowledge needs a repair. Most of the time we ignore the tiny things that collect in our heart and burst out in the heat of the moment. So here to identify the problem communication is the key. Learn to communicate it no matter what... Add this in your list of golden rules😌

Identifying the source right away is ideal but sometimes it's not immediately obvious. In such scenarios, maintaining a neutral stance is crucial to approach the issue objectively, preventing biases from hindering resolution. Fostering empathy and active listening helps all parties understand each other and collaboratively identify the actual issue instead of approaching the conversation merely as a means to prove one's point or assign blame which perpetuates a confrontational atmosphere. As a nurse and corporate trainer for upper management, I can attest that this approach promotes a positive work environment in healthcare, where effective teamwork is vital and benefits both professionals and patients despite the high demands.

In addition to all that have been mentioned especially about identifying the source of the conflict, it is first, important to be unbiased in your assessment of the situation and then be empathetic. As someone who works in the health sector; the state of empathy is what will make you understand what the conflict is and also feels like. It is also what will elicit the kind of response and reaction from you under certain situations; most likely, a cool and calm disposition to issues.

As a healthcare professional, resolving conflicts effectively is key. Firstly, identify the conflict's source. Is it a misunderstanding, a personality clash, or a values violation? Often, conflicts stem from assumptions or emotions unrelated to the actual issue. Understanding the cause allows for clarity and empathy. It's crucial to maintain composure, communicate effectively, and focus on resolving the issue constructively. This approach not only aids in professional development but also ensures that patient care remains our top priority. Keeping a calm and analytical mindset is essential in navigating and resolving conflicts in healthcare settings.

There is a big difference between listening and hearing. Mostly we hear the person standing in front just for the sake of replying. But instead we must listen to the person for the sake of understanding their perspective. When the emotion called anger is on the top floor your voice tone must be on the ground floor and your listening ability and patience must be on point. If this is followed 50% of the problem is automatically solved!

'Feeding it back ' is a way of taking the other party's words and repeating them back in a much simpler way (calmly and respectfully) to ensure that both of you have the same and correct understanding of what has been said. It's the most powerful way of letting someone know that you are listening, resolving conflicts much faster.

As a healthcare professional, I find active listening crucial in managing conflicts. It's about showing respect and openness to the other party's perspective. Active listening means fully concentrating on what's being said, observing body language, and understanding the tone. It involves asking open-ended questions and paraphrasing to ensure comprehension. This approach helps avoid interruptions, judgments, or blame, and instead, focuses on finding mutual understanding and solutions. By actively listening, we can address conflicts constructively, maintaining a harmonious and efficient healthcare environment.

Actively listen to the concerns or grievances of the person involved in the conflict. Show empathy and understanding by paraphrasing their concerns and validating their emotions.

Listen actively: Mirror and summarize the other person's concerns to show understanding and build rapport. Validate their feelings without agreeing.

Expressing our feelings may not be a correct term but expressing our feelings in a calm and clear way is! Your sharing won't be effective if you do it at the wrong time or in an improper way. Remember not to sugar coat your feelings and not to exaggerate them. They should come out clear yet mild. The message should get conveyed but the feelings of the person should stay intact. One way of doing so is first accepting your mistake whatever it may be and mentioning it with an apology and then highlighting the mistake of the other person in a respectful way.

In conflict resolution within healthcare, expressing feelings and needs assertively and respectfully is key. I advocate using "I" statements, which focus on your experiences, rather than "you" statements that might sound accusatory. For example, saying "I feel concerned when schedules are not adhered to, as it impacts patient care," is more constructive than directly blaming someone. This method helps in communicating genuine concerns and setting clear expectations while maintaining a respectful tone. It's about fostering an environment where everyone feels heard and valued, crucial in a high-stakes setting like healthcare.

In my opinion expressing your feelings and needs as a method of resolving conflict depends on who the conflict is with. It's a very important method, purely because it builds better relationships in the future (if the conflict is among workmates the sooner everyone understands where to draw the line with a certain individual, the healthier the work relationship). I'm sure you'd agree that the whole scenario changes if you are a health professional dealing with an unhappy client, patient etc. Yes, self expression can also be exercised but empathy towards the complainant is of greater emphasis.

We can express our feelings as a health provider in many ways, if this is something you have decided can help the conflict resolution. "I understand you feel this way, I have felt this way before and one way I got through this myself was..." is a good place to start. Relate to the person in front of you, as a person, not just as a service receiver or customer. In health professions, the interpersonal relationship you build is paramount and part of this is the person in front of you understanding you are there as a person as well, not just as a provider and they as a receiver.

Sympathy and empathy is important. You should know how to be in their shoes. You should understand how people felt when they are in such situation.

One may not agree with whatever you utter but one can and must respect that which is spoken. Constructive criticism is always appreciated but when there is an emerging conflict one must give preference to the emotions rather than the intellect. Sometimes understanding and listening is all that we lack and this is exactly what we need...When you try to understand a person's situation the person experiences an emotional breakdown rather than an angry outburst. Understand it's not you and I ...it's us! We must try to save this 'us'.

1.Breathe: Take slow, deep breaths to activate the calming parasympathetic nervous system. Acknowledge emotions, but don't react impulsively. 2.Listen actively: Mirror and summarize the other person's concerns to show understanding and build rapport. Validate their feelings without agreeing. 3.Focus on problem-solving: Shift the conversation from blame to solutions. Ask open-ended questions and brainstorm collaboratively. 4.Maintain professionalism: Stay calm, respectful, and avoid inflammatory language. Use "I" statements to explain your perspective without accusations. 5. Seek support: If emotions escalate, suggest a break or involve a neutral third party to mediate. Remember, self-care outside work is crucial for resilience.

To keep your cool as a healthcare professional dealing with conflict: Listen actively and show empathy. Stay calm and composed, regulating body language and tone. Empathize with others' perspectives. Focus on addressing the issue, not blaming individuals. Assert boundaries respectfully if needed. Take breaks to cool off if emotions escalate. Seek support from colleagues or mentors. Direct energy towards finding solutions collaboratively. These strategies help manage conflict professionally and promote positive outcomes.

This point and the active listening point go hand-in-hand. To respect the place in which the conflict begins, you need to understand. To understand you need to listen. Why do the feel this way? Is that why they are saying what they are saying? We must respect this and understand it internally before we can externally respect and understand this, leading our patient/client to comfort.

Understanding doesn’t mean that you agree. You just simply getting what and how the conflict should be solve and come to the conclusion that there must be a settlement between two parties. You will serve as a guide for them to see the reality.

Every problem is different and the solution to it is also different but what remains the same is the process of coming out of the formal by finding the latter. A conflict can be resolved based on its nature of occurrence. A problem arising due to misunderstanding can be solved with communication. A problem arising due to lack of attention given can be solved by giving proper time. Every conflict can be solved only if we want to resolve it. Nothing is impossible for the human kind especially petty things like coming to terms with each other.

"I totally understand and agree with you about...What I've experienced in the past with this issue is that if we X Y and Z, here are the outcomes I expect to see by this point". This sentence has helped me countless times in the years as a health professional, make people comfortable with the options outlaid. As long as you are wholly truthful with the options and outcomes, from objective past experience and data, it is a great tool to use.

Holding back what's within kills the relationship. Though it be a professional or a personal relationship, follow up and follow through is essential. The solution given should not be imposed but accepted and implemented. We must communicate from time to time with the other party. The solution might appear feasible in the beginning but might create certain hurdles while following it. At least the solution should not add on to the conflict and to avoid such a situation continuous communication should be prioritised rather than setting on assumptions.

If you aren't calm, wait until you ARE calm to speak about the issue. When we engage without being calm, we aren't able to use the pre-frontal cortex of our brain, and therefore aren't able to communicate effectively. Get calm first. How do you do that? What has worked for you in the past to become calm? Do you need something physical like a workout or a walk? Do you know it will help you to talk to someone else about the problem to vent the intensity of the emotion first? Will deep breathing in a quiet room help? You know yourself best. Once you have established calm, THEN the other suggestions in this article should be of help.

1. Take deep breaths to stay calm and centered. 2. Focus on the issue at hand rather than personal feelings. 3. Use active listening to understand the other person's perspective. 4. Maintain a neutral tone and avoid escalating the situation. 5. Remember your professional obligation to provide quality care despite challenges.

The only thing to consider is that no conflict or ego or pride is bigger than a relation. If the cost you have to pay for satisfying your ego or pride is the death of your relation, then you might win that conflict but you lose a part of yourself with that relation. Humans are social animals and saving a relation takes time and efforts that needs to be taken from both sides.

1. Calm approach 2. Listen more and talk less 3. Watch that your body language is not sending out arrogant or bad vibes which might heighten the other party's anger. Example: They talk and in an effort to keep quiet so that you don't offend your facial expression is saying everything that you are thinking in your heart and you come off as rude instead of calm.

Generalmente los conflictos se resuelven con hechos y ejemplos lo demas es mas relato Necesita impactar y eso solo se logra con acciones, las palabras se las lleva el viento