MASTER CLASS conflict resolution
RESOLUTION CONFLICT
If businessmen really do hail from Mars and businesswomen from Venus then maybe we could find some middle ground on Earth
CORPORATE LIFE MAY SOMETIMES be a bitch, but most businesswomen in New Zealand would rather not behave like one. But neither do many businesswomen want to sort out their differences like 'one of the boys'. Indeed, something I'm often made aware
of from my vantage point in the conflict- resolution business is how differently men and women tend to approach disputes—and it seems I'm not alone. Recently in the American Business Press,
Arizona-based corporate analyst, Diane Katz identified what she believes are the distinctly "feminine" and "masculine" approaches to solving company problems. In Katz's view, the masculine style riffs
on fault-finding, laying blame and generally going all out to leave a perceived opponent on the carpet. The more feminine approach, on the
other hand, goes big on avoiding conflicts in the first place, or if that's not possible, striving to be pleasant and raising any genuinely unpleasant issues as late in the piece as possible, if at all.
46 | www.hermagazine.co.nz Here are some, hopefully, helpful guidelines:
Set Boundaries Know what's negotiable and non-negotiable before you start to address a difficult situation.
Communicate
Just because you and I are interacting doesn't automatically mean we are on the same wavelength. et Re
Listen and Ask Questions And remember we have twice as many ears as we do a mouth, so listening and asking questions is always important.
Ask for Help If you can't sort out a dispute, don't let it fester. Be aggressive about seeking outside help.
Consider Mediation This is a consensual process in which an independent mediator helps you to sort out your dispute, or arbitration – a similar process but one in which the arbitrator rules on the outcome. (The Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand offers a comprehensive list of each. See www.aminz.org.nz.)
The Best Advice Taking the best advice early is a great idea. This includes advice on how to best structure your business so it is 'dispute-wise'. Whatever this may cost will ultimately be small compared to the price of an all-out legal spat.
