Since the end of the 20th century, the term coaching has become popular, so it is likely that you have heard it at some point. Initially it was developed as a technique applied to sports, but it has become popular and today this support is carried out in almost all areas of life: from personal and couple development, to even companies.
In this article we explain How coaching can be applied to conflict resolution in the business environment.
What conflicts usually occur in the business environment?
Generally speaking, we spend many hours a day at our workplace. Furthermore, we frequently share space with other people and, as a consequence, certain interactions can end in conflicts. In this sense, leadership plays a key role. The style, expectations or even the relationship between supervisors is crucial.
Unfortunately, it seems that it is not unusual for there to be disagreements or even confrontations in companies that can become really difficult to handle. These can be at an interpersonal level (either between members of the same group or between employees and bosses, for example) and They usually occur due to individual differences in communication styles, expectations, ways of acting, etc.
However, they are not the only ones. There can also be, and in fact do occur quite frequently, conflicts between different departments. They are usually related to differences in objectives, goals or approaches to achieving objectives. It is also not unusual for problems to be observed between the different shifts, if any.
Coaching was initially developed, at the end of the 20th century, as a support tool for athletes. Due to its success it has become popular and applied to other areas of life. We can find “tutors” or coaches to accompany us in our personal development, at the couple, family and even work level.
In the business context, coaching focuses on finding a way to enhance the skills of both workers and leaders. In this way, the aim is to optimize performance. The main characteristic of coaching is that, unlike other methodologies, it studies the particularities of each case and adapts to the needs.
Coaching for conflict resolution in the company
Coaching, at a business level, and specifically in the field of conflict resolution, can be a tool that provides great benefits. On the one hand, it is intended that each person becomes aware of their behaviors and how these behaviors may be influencing the conflict and, therefore, being ineffective.
In this sense, through the intervention of the coach, we seek to understand what the situation requires in order to resolve the conflict optimally. Communication strategies, reflection on one’s own thoughts and behaviors, awareness and taking action are incorporated. We work to empower people to assume their own responsibilities.
A key aspect that is also involved, and which is key in the process, is communication. One of the aspects on which coaching focuses is the improvement of active listening. In addition, it is also considered crucial that the contributions or feedback provided are constructive.
Communication is considered to be key since it allows people to express their points of view, ideas and opinions effectively and, in turn, listening is enhanced, which allows us to better understand the position of other people. This point is given so much importance since it contributes considerably to the reduction of conflicts and tension in the environment.
Thus, the solutions appear from the same reflection – both at the individual and group level – and not from the imposition of an “expert” figure or the application of a universal methodology that is not adapted to the particular needs of each situation and each company. . The ultimate goal is to strengthen relationships to create a more balanced and productive workspace..
Possible limitations of coaching in the company
With everything explained so far, you can see the multiple benefits that this intervention methodology can provide in the business environment. However, it is also important to consider the possible limitations that may be encountered with this intervention.
There are certain problems that will not be possible to solve with coaching alone, for example, when we talk about legal conflicts. In this situation, it is likely that the intervention of other figures such as mediators and/or lawyers will also be required. In addition, certain conflicts may be deeply rooted in the structure of the company and this, without a doubt, will be a great inconvenience. Along these lines, it is also possible to find that some workers show high resistance to change and make the process difficult.
