Be willing to be wrong. Often conflict escalates because people s egos get in the way and they need to be right. Dr. Zimmerman tells businesspeople to forget about being right and concentrate on doing what s best for the company. Doing what s best may be different from doing what you think is right. Allow people to be different.
Healthy companies acknowledge people s differences in areas like race, culture and religion.
They don t try to change people. Instead, they see value in the synergy that comes from having people from widely varying backgrounds and beliefs. Practice good communication skills. Communicate expectations clearly. Avoid communicating with blame or criticism.