Webinar | “We Can Work It Out:” Managing Conflict in Work Teams

In 1965, the Beatles released a hit song, “Try to See It My Way… Think of what you’re saying… Think of what I’m saying… We can work it out,” an overnight sensation with an optimistic message. But on the job, “working it out” requires more than optimism. It demands time, effort, and know-how. That’s why books like Bullies at Work, Difficult People 101, and How to Work with Jerks are so popular. As a matter of fact, employees in the U.S. spend almost three hours per week involved in conflict, and all told, conflict can consume up to 40% of a manager’s time. And contrary to what you might expect, working in remote and hybrid environments doesn’t help at all.

Comfortable friction inspires innovation, and talking over differences leads to better communication on teams. But when conflict is left to fester, it can drain energy, drive down productivity, and damage morale, big-time. But just how do we “work it out?”

This webinar will focus on:

• how on-the-job conflict is triggered
• how to work with challenging people such as “Selfies,” “Screamers,” and “Schemers”
• how to improve communication in tricky situations

Speaker: Dr. Constance Staley |  Professor of Communication, University of Colorado