What to do, when you’re a manager/ team leader and this happens in your workplace.
You know this feeling. Something unexpected happens at your workplace with your team members. It can be all kinds of things, for example a fight between colleagues, disrespectful behaviour towards customers. It all falls under the name: “Unwanted behaviour”. Let me walk you through it with an example.

You’re having a good workday. Everybody is present, nobody is sick. And you think: “Wow, I have some time left to do some extra work!”

Just wait, before you jinx it. Especially when you work with a team. Regardless of the size of your team, you always have to manage everyone’s feelings, thoughts, and surroundings. You just never know.

You see 2 team members fighting over something, it almost gets physical. You rush to them and immediately split them up. The one who started the fight is coming with you to a separate office space.

Well yes, this just happened. Something unwanted and unexpected. But it’s a crucial issue because it affects the entire workday for both you and your colleagues. People aren’t feeling good about it. As a manager or team leader, you must address the root of the issue by speaking directly with the involved colleagues.. 

Let’s talk to them, starting with the one who initiated the situation. Why? Because the emotion is the highest in that person.

You want to ask them the right questions. Do you want to know what questions you can ask? See this template I made:

When you have completed and handled the first conversation, you are going to talk with the other colleague. The first thing you do is offer them something to drink, so they can relax. You can see in their non verbal language, that he/she is shocked and isn’t their normal self. The first question you ask is “how are you feeling?”

The purpose of this conversation is to hear their side of the story and let them vent about the feelings that they might have. This is very important to let the colleague know that they are heard and seen too.

Listen. Listen. Listen. I can’t stress this enough. The most important part of all of this, is to LISTEN to your team members. And not just sit there and hear what they have to say, no. You listen actively. You ask the right questions about the unwanted behaviour, the workplace and what they (and you!) can improve in this situation. The source of the problem has to be discovered, and you have to know if you can do something about it or not.

Unwanted behaviour, like in this example, is something that can happen unexpectedly. You have to act quickly and handle the situation. The most important thing in these situations is to talk with the colleagues who are involved. You must talk to both sides and determine the root cause of the behavior. And don’t forget to listen!

Do you want to learn more about these specific tips? I’ve got you covered! Visit my socials and send a DM, or we can book a short call, so I can learn more about you!