That being said, keep these tips in mind when dealing with conflict. Managing and resolving conflict requires a quick reduction of stress and balanced emotions. You can ensure that the process is as positive as possible by sticking to the following conflict resolution guidelines:

• Listen for what is felt as well as said. When we listen we connect more deeply to our own needs and emotions, and to those of other people. Listening in this way also strengthens us, informs us, and makes it easier for others to hear us.
• Make conflict resolution the priority rather than winning or “being right.” Maintaining and strengthening the relationship, rather than “winning” the argument, should always be your first priority. Be respectful of the other person and his or her viewpoint.
• Focus on the present. If you’re holding on to old hurts and resentments, your ability to see the reality of the current situation will be impaired. Rather than looking to the past and assigning blame, focus on what you can do in the here-and-now to solve the problem.
• Pick your battles. Conflicts can be draining, so it’s important to consider whether the issue is really worthy of your time and energy. Maybe you don’t want to surrender a parking space if you’ve been circling for 15 minutes. But if there are dozens of spots, arguing over a single space isn’t worth it.
• Be willing to forgive. Resolving conflict is impossible if you’re unwilling or unable to forgive. Resolution lies in releasing the urge to punish, which can never compensate for our losses and only adds to our injury by further depleting and draining our lives.
• Know when to let something go. If you can’t come to an agreement, agree to disagree. It takes two people to keep an argument going. If a conflict is going nowhere, you can choose to disengage and move on.

Related articles

• Resolving Conflict 101 (chrisjacksononline.net)
• Conflict Resolution at Work For Dummies (ronnychristianto.wordpress.com)
• Should I Confront That Conflict? (connecttimes.com)
• Resolving Conflict Starts with Listening (thesearchforleadership.wordpress.com)

Today’s workplace has four distinct generations working together:

• Traditionalists or Veterans (born approximately 1922–45)
• Baby Boomers (1946–60)
• Generation X (1961–80)
• Millennials or Generation Y (1981–?)

Use the following suggestions to help you get along with co-workers of different generations:

Be self aware.

Think about how people of different generations may view your behaviour and pay attention to your own beliefs and values. For example, Boomers have had to work many long, hard hours in order to stand out among the huge numbers of their generation in the workforce. Gen Xers and Millennials may think that Boomers don’t care about life outside of work because they are focusing on the Boomers’ behaviour rather than the forces that shaped it.

On the other hand, Gen Xers entered the workforce during a time when organizations were downsizing and restructuring. They’ve learned to rely on themselves and to place a high value on their life outside of work. Veterans and Boomers who kept their jobs during the restructuring handled the situation by working harder. To them, Gen Xers may appear too focused on the “life” side of the work-life balance.

Keep an open mind.

Challenge your assumptions. For example, the Veteran who wears a business suit and seems uncomfortable with technology may be highly creative. The Gen Xer who leaves early and files reports from home may not be out partying all night but may be sharing child care with a spouse.

Focus on the goal.

If everyone on the team does their share, it may not matter whether Veterans work at their desks during office hours, whether Boomers work after hours, whether Gen Xers work at home on the weekend or whether Millennials work on laptops in cafés between jobs.

Value diversity.

Accept each generation’s different experiences and perspectives. Veterans and Boomers have the kind of experience that comes from years in the workforce—when it comes to the ups and downs of working life, they really have seen it all. Gen Xers and Millennials can benefit from their experience.

Gen Xers have developed the skills to be independent and self-directed. Millennials learned their teamwork skills in day care. Both have grown up working and playing with technology: cell phones with cameras, text messaging, wireless connections from hand-held computers to company networks. Millennials and Gen Xers use all available technology effortlessly to work at any time, from anywhere. What may sometimes look like youthful arrogance is more likely competence and confidence—Veterans and Boomers can benefit by recognizing the difference.

Support and learn from each other.

Co-workers from each generation have much to offer each other. For example, Gen Xers and Millennials can share their technology skills with Boomers and Veterans. The older generations can mentor the younger. Each generation has something to learn from:

Veterans’ perspectives on loyalty
Boomers’ dedication to the goal
Gen Xers’ skills at achieving work-life balance
Millennials’ comfort with diversity

Discover common interests.

Sports, hobbies, films, favourite TV shows, volunteering—people from different generations may share more interests than they realize. What starts out as small talk in the coffee room may develop into an appreciation for a different point of view or a chance to explore a new skill.

Veterans, Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials all bring a wide range of skills, outlooks and experiences to the workplace. When generations recognize and respect their differences, they stay open to the opportunity to learn from each other.

At the heart of the matter is Twitter — a service where users post short, public messages of up to140 characters each. While larger organizations use Twitter to monitor consumer engagement with their brands and as an outlet for public relations, smaller businesses can use Twitter effectively to build their network locally. Real estate professionals in particular, are proving themselves to be savvy Twitter users, working to expand their networks and create an online presence that reflects their personality, interests and their expertise in conducting real estate transactions.

Phil Soper, president and chief executive at Royal LePage Canada encourages agents to use Twitter with a less hard-edge marketing approach and more of a flavour of interpersonal sharing. “Yes, ensure people understand what you do for a living but avoid constant patter about that home you have for sale,” Soper advises. “People will be interested in your insights and information. Be yourself. We’re salespeople, and all good salespeople like to share what’s on their mind.”

Sebastian Albrecht, a sales representative at Royal LePage Westside in Vancouver and avid blogger and Twitter user, offers this insight: “I view Twitter as a tool to reinforce relationships, to give people an insight into who I am, and to demonstrate the skill and knowledge with which I conduct my business.” Albrecht also received unprecedented local media attention for his climb of Vancouver’s Grouse Mountain, called the “Grouse Grind,” in which he ascended the mountain 14 times in one day to raise funds for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. “Everyone in Vancouver can relate to the Grouse Grind. Either we have all done it, or know someone who has. As a result, people have a concept of just how difficult it [climbing 14 times] is to accomplish,” he said.

In Albrecht’s case, the local aspect, doing something out of the ordinary for a good cause, and using social media to leverage it appears to be a recipe for success.

www.newscanada.com

Let’s Talk: A guide to resolving workplace conflicts (pdf 3807 KB)

If you manage a large number of people who are always offering suggestions, insist that feedback be submitted in writing. Blame your faulty memory, if you want to be diplomatic. The bad ideas will be discarded before you hear them, as the employee won’t want to go through the effort of writing them out; the good ones will be more complete and better articulated, as the submitted will have to think his idea all the way through before sending it in.

Tricks of the Trade: Manager

1. Everything communicates.

2. The Golden Rule works.

3. Stand for something.

4. Everyone wants to be heard.

5. One size does not fit all.

6. They both end in “tion” but there’s a big difference between “information” and “communication.”

7. Communicate courageously.

8. Remember the competition.

9. If it looks important, it must be important.

10. Good communication is a good investment.

Read the article: Hewitt Associates – Ten Principles for Leadership Communication

In his session he covered:

• The goals for employment branding;
• What is included in a brand image;
• How to craft a successful employment brand; and
• Thoughts on the importance of a career’s website.

Keynote sessions don’t generally offer opportunity for in-depth coverage of a topic, but Matthew was able to convey a considerable amount of practical information within his session. One could take the material he presented and immediately begin to create an employment brand.

The NAS website has a host of recruitment communications articles and white papers available: as on-line documents, PDF files, and video presentations.

Welcome to a brand new innovation within Deloitte and our Campus Recruiting Program! These blogs will let you get an idea of what we actually do on a day-to-day basis, the types of problems we face, and how we help our clients. More importantly, this will be a great way for you to meet some of our current Co-ops, Analysts & Associates, hear their stories, and really get a feel for our culture that we believe distinguishes ourselves from the rest. Welcome to the Deloitte Experience!

The Deloitte Experience.

Link via Guatam Ghosh.

There’s something to be said for a hand-written greeting, personalized for each employee. It can be a bit of extra work, but Bren gives some good advice that can streamline the process.

• Keep the note to two sentences.
• Be appreciative.
• Consider the personality.
• They’ll compare.
• Get a nice pen.
• Thesaurus.

Read it all: How to write a holiday card to your staff » Slacker Manager