Basic Conflict Management Strategies for Entrepreneurs

Small business owners often feel overwhelmed with the many “hats” they wear on a daily basis. There are many facets to manage such as managing a team, keeping the books, displaying exceptional customer service, functioning as a salesperson, and the list goes on. While each of these areas is crucial, one of the biggest challenges to running a business is conflict management.

Resolving conflicts can require entrepreneurial superhero power. Poor conflict management can lead to lower morale and eventually, rapidly increasing turnover. Small business owners have several options for successfully executing conflict management. One of the surprising conflict management tools includes acquiring toll free numbers.

Conflict Management Strategies

Small business owners have several conflict management strategy options. One of the most important is accepting the different personalities, learning styles, and work behaviors of team members. Each team member also has his or her own “needs” that are tied into his or her motivation levels and desire to succeed, which is crucial for productivity levels and morale.

One common mistake entrepreneurs and business managers make is they often try to hinder conflict. If conflict arises in a meeting, strong leaders should encourage debate, but obviously maintain intensity levels and ensure that meetings are still productive and effectively address items on the agenda.

Conflict management is also about accommodation, compromise, and collaboration. Accommodating team members equally ensures open communication, thoughts, and feelings, and contributes to productivity and morale. Compromise identifies a solution that partially satisfies both parties, but it does not fully meet the objectives of either party involved in a dispute. Collaboration means small business owners devise a win-win situation that leaves both parties of the conflict feeling satisfied about the outcome.

How to Manage Conflict with Toll Free Numbers

So which is the best conflict strategy? Compromise and collaboration represent the two best methods for managing conflicts, and toll free numbers play an instrumental role in implementing both strategies. One of the least known benefits of toll free numbers concerns resolving conflicts.

Toll free numbers provide the optimal way to handle customer conflicts. Your small business dedicates one or more toll free number phone lines to handle customer service issues, such as complaints. With focused attention on the customer, you ensure the success of implementing the compromise or collaboration conflict management strategy. Develop your most personable and knowledgeable team members to handle customer conflicts.

In addition to using toll free numbers for customer conflict management, small business owners can also dedicate one line for resolving employee conflicts. The dedicated number does not tie up the primary business phone line and it provides you with a quiet place to concentrate on the managing the conflict.

Toll free number can make the difference between quickly resolving conflicts and involving yourself in a protracted disagreement that no conflict management strategies can overcome.

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