I just cleaned the bathroom, when my toilet gets constipated. Before I know it, the bowl with all of its contents is overflowing. I am too late to grab the plunger. I can only stand there and see the spotless floor turn into a yukky mess.
I have no choice but to grab a bucket and old racks and start cleaning.
It is the last thing I want to do. I have a long list of tasks I want to complete. Spending 45 minutes cleaning up this mess is not on it.
A few minutes into it, I realize that I could have prevented it. The plumbing has had trouble for a while now and I could have hired someone to fix it.
I hadn’t. It wasn’t on my to-do list you know…
It reminds me of how often I let small negative interactions slip by. I don’t want to spend the time to address them with the other person, I am too busy. The issue is not so big, it can be addressed later. The interaction is usually fine, so what am I making such a big deal about?
And before I know it, one small issue gets dumped on top of another small one. And another. And another. Till the plumbing of our communication is so constipated that the next small thing turns into a big mess.
Maybe you recognize this.
I hear from many clients that communication doesn’t take priority during this pandemic. They need all their resources to get enough funding, coordinate team members and services, and manage press releases. They need to stay on top of things, so their organization, clients, and causes survive this COVID-crisis and looming economic depression.
As a result, small misunderstandings and irritations become bigger disconnects, till they are ready to quit their job. Or they push themselves to chunk through urgency after urgency, 60 hours a week, hoping they can deal with the team issues later.
I completely get it. It is probably the best you can do right now.
So how do you resolve simmering or exploding conflicts in a simple way?
I developed an online mini-training for that.
You will discover 5 simple steps to resolve conflict (even if you are overwhelmed and don’t have much time or energy). For free.
Is that something for you?
If yes, sign-up here for that mini-training: 5 Secrets to Resolve Conflict that Hardly Anyone Uses.
You will get 5 emails with one secret each: an insight to help you resolve conflict more easily.
Enjoy more harmony, understanding, and teamwork!