In posts one and two of my personal journey to become a more relationally intelligent leader, I spent time chronicling the ways that I am focusing on building trust, generating commitment, and driving results with my remote team using the Relationship Intelligence insights provided through the Core Strengths RQ Zoom app. You can check those out if you haven’t read them down below:
In this post, I’m focusing on how I am leveraging these same tools to help me navigate and resolve conflict when it arises on my team.
Managing Conflict
Something that I find really difficult about managing a remote team is that if there’s any lingering tension when the Zoom meeting ends, we can’t go hash it out in person, or have lunch together to lighten the mood. Instead, conflict festers.
A certain amount of conflict is unavoidable on productive, innovative teams—and it can actually help teamwork and relationships when handled in the right way. Relationally intelligent leaders try to keep conflict objective and productive by attempting to avoid triggering others and getting triggered ourselves. While this felt like a minefield without any help, I’m using the Zoom Participant Insights Conflict Tips to help me communicate in a way that avoids conflict triggers, but also resolve conflict when it happens. Because it does!
Similar to the Communication and Strengths Tips I used in my previous post to help me better communicate with Aaron about a new product launch, the Conflict Tips help someone adjust their approach to avoid triggering Aaron into conflict. If his teammate Liza was meeting with Aaron, she would see these tips on what she should say, do, and watch out for both when things are going well, and when Aaron is in conflict.
She has Risk-Taking in her top strengths, and the Zoom integration reminds her that if Aaron thinks she’s ignoring potential consequences, he might be triggered into conflict. Conversely, Aaron will get Conflict Tips about Liza that remind him that if she thinks he’s missing the potential to take advantage of an opportunity, she could be triggered into conflict.
If one or both of them don’t manage to avoid each other’s triggers, all is not lost! The Conflict Tips share advice for the path back, providing insight into what the other person wants out of the situation. Liza will see that Aaron wants to meet the challenge and refocus on results. She can then propose a solution that involves renewed focus and clarified direction. He can propose a solution to her that involves the ability to pursue new opportunities and willingness to take a chance.
Core Strengths integrations can be your digital relationship coach
Through daily leadership practices and the help of powerful digital tools, I’m simultaneously meeting my goals of becoming a more relationally intelligent leader and drinking my own product champagne. Hopefully my team thinks so, too!
Learn about our integrations for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Outlook.
