12 Ways to Avoid Conflicts in the Office

Below are 12 ways on how to avoid conflicts in the office as shared by Management expert Michael LeBoeuf in his book Working Smart: How to Accomplish More in Half the Time:

1. Make the effort to be an effective communicator. Understand the true meaning of what people say.
2. Be open. When you are perceptive to the opinion and feelings of others, they will not be defensive.
3. Present criticisms in a spirit of kindness, helpfulness and tact. Focus on the behavior that needs correcting, not the person.
4. Be assertive, not aggressive.
5. Mind your own business.
6. Live and let live. One man's right ends where another man's nose begins.
7. Keep your cool. Delay an explosive emotion.
8. Remember that arguing for the sake of arguing is a needless waste of time.
9. Don't belittle or ridicule another person's achievements.
10. Don't be a prophet of gloom and doom.
11. If a major ongoing, unavoidable conflict hinders your work or someone else's, discuss it with those involved.
12. To work less and accomplish more, remember this: It is easier to work with people than to work against them.