How do you handle stress in a team environment and avoid conflicts?

In a team environment, I prioritise clear communication and proactive problem-solving to mitigate stress and prevent conflicts. I encourage open dialogue to address concerns promptly and foster a supportive atmosphere where team members feel comfortable expressing themselves. Additionally, I promote work-life balance and provide resources for stress management techniques to help team members cope effectively. By promoting a positive work environment, we can minimise stressors and maintain harmony within the team.

Whenever two or more people are in the same room, there will be conflict. Why? Because people aren't clones. They have different experiences and opinions. The key is recognizing that differences will occur and learning to celebrate the differences, rather than denigrating them.

An aspect I found very helpful for this is based on making sure there is a clear understanding on the real-world time management for tasks that are assigned. Sometimes there is a disconnect between what leadership perceives as acceptable timeframe to complete a task vs. reality due to complexities of the task. By understanding the intricacies of the task and all of the steps to completing the request it will make a difference with setting realistic goals. Additionally, having good open communication with your team members it will help them knowing you are seeing things from their perspective and taking their considerable efforts into consideration when setting realistic expectations and goals.

One of the first things I do when an issue is brought to my attention is to just listen. Hear the person on the other end and absorb what they are telling you. Pay close attention to the details as they will be vital to helping to build a path to resolution. Additionally, giving team members a "safe place" to share openly will greatly improve communication and also let them know their voice is heard. The other thing this does is mentor your team members on how to handle conflict management with a calm head and not let the heat of the moment drive a knee jerk reaction in the decision-making process on how to address an issue that was brought to your attention. Lead by example and inspire others to do the same.

Make sure to always circle back to your team or team members to obtain valued feedback. The feedback you receive is vital to defining success or failure. Additionally, it allows them to know their voices are heard and they are a part of a solution to shaping processes and procedures for the betterment of the team and tasks performed.

I think seeking help from professionals with stress coping should also be normalized. Organizations, also, should create a culture where talking about stress and getting help for it is normalized. One-on-one sessions for the employees to talk about work stress and learn ways to manage it will also reflect organization's interest in employee welfare.

Serve your emotions with empathy and care. We show empathy to everybody except our own selves. Try not to be harsh and take regular breaks.