In the office: how to transform an argument into professional growth

How can an argument at work be transformed into an opportunity for professional growth? Although disagreements in companies are quite frequent, it is always wise to adopt little strategies in order to keep the peace. This is because fuelling arguments is a major cause of increased anxiety and falling productivity, so it is essential to do everything in our power to turn minor disagreements into something constructive for all concerned.

People react to disagreements in different ways according to their character: some are easily irritated and quickly get annoyed, but there are also those who prefer to avoid any kind of conflict.  Any problems must certainly be mentioned, but there are is of course more than one possible approach to any issue.  Our first tip to remember during and after an argument is to explain politely what the problem is.

Always remember the importance of showing respect towards others:  even though there may be tensions, attacking or insulting others will certainly not lead to any positive outcome. Furthermore, it is essential to be genuinely open to setting things straight:  resolving the situation must not be viewed as an obligation, but rather as a kind of natural, spontaneous aim.

Another important thing to bear in mind when trying to turn professional disagreements into opportunities for growth is to only take offence at the behaviour or the words used by the person and not focus on the individual concerned:  after an argument, many people tend to attack the person who started the argument, thereby offending what he holds dearest and (often) ending up by totally de-moralising that person.  This kind of behaviour is absolutely counter-productive.

As well as the points mentioned above, it should be emphasised that a healthy argument with someone should bring feelings of relief and peace.  Those who debate constructively and resolve matters are hard-working and feel like taking on challenges to prove their worth:  if, following a confrontation you don’t feel like this, it means that the situation is still un-resolved and so more time is needed to put things right.

This is our advice on how to transform an argument at work into an opportunity for professional growth.

Translated by Joanne Beckwith