Whatever our role or hierarchical position at CERN, we can all contribute to fostering a more respectful and collaborative work environment.
Although conflict resolution calls for specific skills to be developed, there are several things we can all do, like being alert to the early signs of tensions brewing, saying “no" to behaviour that we find inappropriate or harmful, taking a step back or seeking advice from a trusted third party.
Here are a few tips for defusing situations that could create tension:
- Take time out: in a tense meeting, a manager might suggest a short break to allow people to cool off before resuming the discussion;
- Insist on respect by saying something like: "When you raise your voice, I find it hard to concentrate. Let’s speak calmly.”
- Set clear limits: “I’ll be happy to discuss this tomorrow morning but right now I have work to finish.”
- Use of "I": if you’re unhappy about something, refer to your own feelings ("I feel useless when...") rather than accusing the other person ("You never let me speak!”).
- Lower tensions by rephrasing: as a manager, rephrasing your angry colleague’s words can be a good way of promoting constructive discussion: "If I understand correctly, you’re feeling left out of this project. Am I right?”
Assertiveness based on the principles of non-violent communication can be particularly effective in lowering tensions and preventing situations from escalating and thus damaging a working environment. I would urge everyone to sign up for the brand new interactive course on non-violent communication that is available in the CERN Learning Hub: Communicate Better, Collaborate Better: An Introduction to Non-Violent Communication. At the end of this course, you will have acquired a number of practical tools that you can apply immediately in your everyday life to improve communication and prevent tensions from escalating.
If you would like to talk about this subject or find out how the above information can be applied in a particular situation, please contact me. As Ombud, my main task is to provide a non-official channel for conflict resolution, as well as to give impartial help and advice. My role is also to offer my opinion on the implementation of the Code of Conduct.
Thank you for your attention, and see you soon!
Marie-Luce Falipou
I would like to hear your reactions and suggestions – join the CERN Ombud Mattermost team at https://mattermost.web.cern.ch/cern-ombud/.
The Ombud is available from Monday to Friday in Office 500/1-004 on the Meyrin site. To make an appointment, in person or online, contact the Ombud at ombuds@cern.ch.
Visit the Ombud’s website to learn more or get in touch: https://ombuds.web.cern.ch