Prevent Conflict Escalation
Our company has had its share of downsizing and lost jobs, and the crew I supervise can't help, but worry about what's next. The cuts mean we're working harder, and at the same time, we're being faced with the threat of layoffs and dealing with a wage freeze.
It's no surprise that everyone's more easily bothered by things, but I'm concerned about how quickly things start escalating out of control. In just the last two weeks, a couple of guys ended up in a pushing match and two others almost duked it out on the workroom floor. I could see trouble coming and tried to stop it, but I'm afraid I just made things worse.
Is there a way I can keep things from getting out of hand?
When a conflict situation begins to escalate, it's important that your involvement doesn't fan the flames of an already hot situation. The following strategies will help you intervene in a constructive way to help cool things down and de-escalate the potential for violence.Stay calm: Take several deep breaths; move and speak slowly, evenly and confidently. Don't communicate in way that generates hostility or make sudden movements that may be interpreted as threatening. Defensiveness, disinterest and demands will only escalate the situation.
Allow for personal space: Keep a space of 3 to 6 feet between you and the distressed person. Getting too close may make a distressed person feel cornered or threatened. Don't make physical contact.
Listen without interruption: Focus your attention on the agitated person and show interest in what is being said. Paraphrase to show you've heard and understood. Don't minimize the situation or the person's concerns.
Maintain a nonthreatening appearance: Be attentive and alert, while staying open and as relaxed as possible. Don't use challenging body language such as in-your-face, hands on hips, crossed arms, finger-pointing or long periods of fixed eye contact. Position yourself at an angle rather than directly in front of the distressed person.
Provide an opportunity to save face: Help the agitated party de-escalate without having to back down or give in. Use "what if..." thinking to help explore options and look at consequences to actions. Don't challenge, threaten, belittle, criticize or attempt to shame or embarrass the person, especially if there's an audience.
Exercise sensible caution: If a person's behavior starts to rapidly escalate well beyond your comfort zone, get help immediately. Most situations will benefit from helpful intervention but when truly in doubt, it's better to be safe than sorry.
