Having different opinions at work is inevitable. That’s also a good sign. It shows how passionate your employees are, and they only want the best for the organization. The problem is that sometimes it can turn into a screaming match. You hear too many people talking, and you do not know who to listen to. Here are some tips for dealing with these sounds.
Appreciate how excited everyone seems to be
You cannot stop people from talking and telling them they’re wrong. While you want to be in charge of the situation, you do not want to turn it off either. If you overreact, your employees may not want to say anything more. They will also feel that you do not care what they think.
Create rules
Set rules when you hold meetings to brainstorm ideas or plan projects. Make sure everybody can speak their mind and not shut down. Respect should even be at the heart of the meeting. There will be different ideas, but everybody can stay respectful. No one should laugh at ideas, even if they’re ridiculous. Sometimes, the best results come from them.
Don’t let someone dominate the conversation
Step in if you notice that only one person is speaking up while the others can barely engage in conversation. Don’t let one person stick to an idea even if it seems right. You do not want to stop other people from being creative. They may think that you can only trust one person to lead, and they haven’t any choice but to remain silent. You should also distribute tasks. If you have an upcoming corporate event, you might consider a funfair. Let someone else lead. They can still ask for help from suppliers like https://www.wearetricycle.co.uk/ for a funfair, but this person will be in charge. A culture of fairness will encourage creativity and confidence amongst your employees.
Don’t decide right away
Another mistake most leaders make is making decisions on the spot. Even if you let people choose, it still would not be an awesome idea. Instead, allow participants time to sit through these different views before they decide. You do not want the wrong idea to emerge because the person who proposed it dominates the discussion. Plus, you will only realize how good some points are after you have thought about them for a few days.
Do not add fuel to the fire
When you know a conversation is getting heated, try to keep it to a minimum. You cannot throw away more bones to let employees fight more. You’ll only stop the big discussion from moving forward. If anything, the argument becomes personal and unproductive. Whether you or someone else is facilitating the conversation, it is important to remain neutral.
Again, a varied view is a good thing. This is a sign that people want the best for the company. You’d rather have opposing views than haven’t any one speak up. As long as you can resolve disagreements, that’s good enough. You should also learn from your previous mistakes as you move forward. You cannot let your employees feel unheard or unappreciated.
