Here's how you can tackle conflicts and difficult conversations assertively at work.

At work, tackling conflicts and difficult conversations assertively requires clear communication and respect. Start by preparing beforehand – gather facts and anticipate the other person's perspective. During the conversation, use "I" statements to express your concerns and avoid accusatory language. Focus on finding solutions, proposing win-win scenarios, and actively listen to their point of view. Maintain a calm and professional demeanor, even if emotions run high. If necessary, suggest tabling the conversation to cool down and revisit it later. By approaching these situations with a mix of firmness and empathy, you can navigate conflict constructively and preserve positive working relationships.

For business professionals, maintaining equanimity (defined as mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in difficult situations) is crucial when tackling conflicts. Equanimity allows for clear, rational thinking and effective problem-solving. It helps individuals stay composed, preventing emotional reactions that can escalate tensions and hinder resolution. A steady, balanced demeanor fosters trust and respect among colleagues and clients, facilitating collaborative solutions. To improve equanimity, practice mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing or meditation, which enhance emotional regulation and resilience, enabling a more composed response to challenging situations.

Prepare Your Mindset First things first, get your head in the game. Before diving into any tough conversation, take a few moments to breathe and center yourself. Remind yourself that your goal is a constructive dialogue, not a showdown. Agree to Disagree (If Necessary) Sometimes, you might not see eye to eye, and that’s okay. If you’ve reached an impasse, agree to disagree and find a way to move forward without lingering resentment. The key is to ensure the disagreement doesn’t derail your professional relationship.

En esta situación puede ser difícil al principio pero siempre es mejor calmarse o alejarse si el lugar no es apto para relajarse. Recuerda que tomar decisiones estando enojado o alterado nos puede nublar los pensamientos y podemos hacer o decir cosas que pueden complicar la situación.

Handling in the Ayurvedic Way : - According to Sushrut - Senses, mind, soul should also be happy, not just the body. Vata, Pitta, Kapha i.e. Tridosha generates  our nature and if there is any abnormality, then only after understanding that something can be done (mind-body type). First understand your body and mind and make yourself happy. Then understand those with whom you are fighting. Doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) give you a good idea about the prejudices brought into the relationship. First establish harmony with the present Tridosha. This is achieved by deciding what is right here – Sama, Daam, Danda, Bhed, Maya, Avgya, Indrajaal. Then, if the person is willing to listen, explain the pathology and give the correct medical advice.

Listening plays a key role in any difficult conversation. As you listen to the person, Their anger also goes down. After that, you can address your point and ask for a solution. Be always solution-driven rather than problem-focused.

Listening to hear, not to respond allows a recognition of feelings behind actions in these types of situations of conflict. Patience and Compassion can go a long way in the conversation ls I've had in these areas.

Give the other person a chance to share their side of the story. Listen without interrupting. Show you’re really hearing them by nodding, maintaining eye contact, and summarizing what they’ve said. This helps build mutual respect and understanding.

There's a difference between Listening and Deep Listening. Our default is to listen while we analyze what we hear, compare the information to what we already know, and think about what we want to say back. Deep Listening is listening with an open and clear mind. It's listening not just to the other person's words. It's noticing their body language and the tone of their voice. It's noticing where they are coming from. It's 100% being present to what's being said. Then when they finish speaking, you respond in real-time. When you use Deep Listening, you are showing respect and de-escalating tension. You are helping the other person feel heard, which is often what the other person is seeking. Then you respond with genuine authenticity.

For me listening first can help by showing respect, understanding, and creating a conducive environment for constructive dialogue. For example, when addressing a disagreement with a colleague, actively listening to their perspective demonstrates empathy and validates their feelings, fostering mutual respect. By listening attentively without interrupting, you gain valuable insights into their concerns and motivations, paving the way for a collaborative resolution. This approach promotes open communication, builds trust, and leads to more effective conflict resolution in the workplace.

A discipline I do my best to work with is remembering that my clarity starts with clarifying my assumptions. The first 2 of Byron Katie's "The Work" question - what do I know is true? and how do I know it's true? are one way I work with this discipline. I avoid a lot of conflict by first clarifying my assumptions and inviting the other person to clarify theirs. I think it's the most assertive thing I can do - to have the courage to name and clarify assumptions before speaking more.

Clarity starts at the very beginning. Two tricks I try to employ in these scenarios: 1) Always think about how you would want to hear this if the roles were reversed. We're all just people communicating with other people and sometimes we get so far removed from simple and basic communication. 2) I try to use the word "feedback" up front to help couch the convo and the dialogue in a way that is designed to be helpful and non-confrontational (e.g., "hey, I just wanted to share some feedback so we can move forward on XYZ...").

No beating around the bush. When you need to address an issue, be straightforward about what the problem is. Use "I" statements to express how you feel and what you need. For example: Instead of: "You're always late and it's annoying." Try: "I've noticed you've been coming in late, and it's affecting our project timeline. I need everyone on time to meet our goals."

I find the feedback model; 'Situation, Behaviour, Impact' helpful to structure the difficult conversation and bring claitty to framing the issue

With clear and direct communication we can begin to resolve conflict. Sometimes being direct includes putting up boundaries.

Shift the focus from the problem to finding a solution. This keeps the conversation forward-thinking and productive. Ask questions like: "What do you think we can do to resolve this?" "How can we make sure this doesn’t happen again?"

Abordar los conflictos con un enfoque en soluciones establece un tono constructivo y positivo. Sugerir formas de resolver problemas demuestra un compromiso genuino con resultados positivos, cambiando la dinámica de la conversación hacia la colaboración y proactividad. Esto fomenta un diálogo más productivo y genera confianza en la otra parte. Al invitar a compartir ideas, se promueve la colaboración y se desvía la atención de la negatividad, reduciendo la tensión. Este enfoque empodera a todas las partes involucradas, transformando el conflicto en una oportunidad para el crecimiento y la mejora conjunta.

It happened to me once at work, but I knew how to control myself, find an acceptable arrangement for both parties and focus on the future work relationship with the interlocutor, in this case a co-worker who had had a bad day avoiding remembering past events.

Finding a solution sometimes looks like coming to an agreement or coming up with agreeable solutions that work for everyone involved. Following the previous steps will help with finding solutions.

Encuentro importante presentar los problemas que uno puede detectar en las organizaciones, pero, mas importante es llegar con ideas para resolverlo, sin importar si las consideren o no, pero, es una manera de mostrar cuánto te interesa la empresa donde trabajas, y que no andas criticando por criticar

It’s crucial to set clear boundaries. If someone is being disrespectful or crossing the line, assertively let them know it’s not acceptable. For example: "I understand you're upset, but I don’t appreciate being spoken to that way. Let’s keep this conversation respectful."

An example I've seen of this is someone pre empting and stating they would input a 'pause & review' that would stop the convo until the next day. The time frame in place and expectation of the break seemed to foster the recipient to be more thoughtful of responses during initial conflict resolution meeting.

Setting boundaries for yourself can be a powerful tool. Sometimes just saying, No, is a good boundary. We don’t have to sacrifice ourselves for a solution.

El establecer límites no implica rechazar a los demás, sino de afirmar nuestro propio valor y respeto. Al expresar nuestros límites con amabilidad y de forma empática, fomentaremos relaciones más saludables y promovemos un ambiente de respeto mutuo. Al mismo tiempo, fortalecemos nuestra confianza y autoestima al defender lo que es importante para nosotros, lo que nos permitirá contribuir de manera más siginificativa al bienestar de todos los involucrados.

Según mi experiencia, para hacer un seguimiento adecuado y lejos de la emocionalidad, es conveniente terminar la conversación con acuerdos por escrito que sean claros, establezcan metas, describan las expectativas y pongan tiempos de evaluación. El seguimiento se hace sobre los acuerdos, no sobre el conflicto. Esta es la parte formal. El compromiso en la parte subjetiva es conectarse con la disposición que se requiere para solucionar un conflicto. Baje el ego que "querer tener la razón". Hablar desde su YO profesional, siempre es posible.

Recordemos cómo este problema es en el lugar de trabajo se tiene que buscar una solución. Se le da seguimiento sobre las etapa de acuerdos y si se están cumpliendo para que la empresa y sus colaboradores puedan llegar juntos a las metas y sea un lugar ameno para trabajar.

El control periódico de los procesos es fundamental para llegar a la meta establecida, y así poder tomar las medidas de corrección en el momento correcto, antes que sea demasiado tarde.

Here's what else to consider about conflict and difficult conversations. Most people bring forward a complaint or conflict when they are in a low mood. We often see this at work or in our marriage. When we are having a bad day and feeling irritable, it seems like the right time to let someone else know 'how you really feel'. But as you have probably experienced (as I have) that this is not the right time to air grievances. It's best to wait for the low mood to pass. Then, share from a calm and clear state-of-mind that is not emotionally charged. If a colleague or partner is wanting to get into an argument, notice if they are in a low mood or having a bad day. Schedule the conversation later in the day/week when they have settled.

be crystal clear in communicating. be clear about the overall purpose. step back if necessary. don't compromise on values. Keep the organisation's insterest above everything.

La comunicación es la base para que ambas partes se puedan entender de la mejor forma, si hubo un problema aunque no parezca pero hablando se pueden evitar malos entendidos.

Using individuals wellness action plans for guidance or updating these when having had difficult scenarios can be helpful if your organisation uses these.