Conflict Resolution: ‘Soft’ Skills Are More Important Than Ever

There’s no denying that the more we rely on AI, the less of our ‘soft skills’ we need to use. Whilst no more hours spent making sure our email matches the *perfect* tone or manual call note-taking sound idyllic, there are some things that AI certainly can’t – and shouldn’t – replace.

In fact, there’s something to be said about going back to basics, rediscovering the importance of human connection, and resolving conflict with frank, open and honest conversations (which aren’t supplemented by AI!)

Client Services Director, Anna Wood, recently spoke at The Performance Academy X Autotrader event in Manchester, sharing her tips for conflict resolution and communication – which importantly, aren’t only useful in a professional environment, but in any scenario where relationship-building and collaboration is involved.

Conflict Resolution: 3 Tips for Successful Communication

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to communication – and of course, this depends on the person and how they also like to communicate. However, there are some things that are really simple, but really effective, when it comes to having productive conversations that drive conflict resolution and lead to positive outcomes.

Listen

Conversations aren’t just about speaking, and are equally (if not even more so) about listening to the other person.

Some of the ways that you can show that you’re engaged and actively listening include allowing the other person to vent their frustrations; asking questions to help you to understand the problem further; using your entire body (such as open body language) to display interest and care; taking notes to show your intent to follow-up; and reconfirming the core goal of the conversation to prevent further miscommunication and ensure everyone involved is aligned.

Be Transparent

Transparency looks different from just being honest (but this is important too), and should be something integrated into your relationships, rather than just used when it needs to be.

Being transparent might be avoiding sugar-coating to provide more and better clarity and honesty; owning your mistakes when you’ve genuinely made one, building credibility and respect; setting realistic expectations to prevent future disappointment and avoid setting anyone up for potential failure; remain consistent in your approach to display and inspire confidence; and following up to make sure you show reliability and intent to act on what has been discussed.

Don’t Fear The Phone

Phone calls get a really bad rep, and I can guarantee that the majority of people would much prefer to send a text or an email – but why?

Picking up the phone is a display of confidence and proactivity, and ultimately – gets the job done quicker! One conversation over the phone could take 5 minutes, whilst the same conversation over email could take 5 days! The willingness to pick up the phone can help build relationships and trust, and also promotes transparency, with no time spent figuring out if a tone, or even a word, used over email is negative or not.

My Key Takeaway

It’s okay to go back to basics, and sometimes – it’s neccessary.

We do rely on AI a lot, which can be great. But, AI hasn’t always existed, and leaning on the skills that we already have is what can propel us to build great partnerships.

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