Can the Chief of Staff Be an Office Conflict Mediator?

Chiefs of staff can help employees and executives de-escalate a dispute and agree on the best possible outcome.

Key takeaways:

• Conflict resolution is all about solving a disagreement with compromise, listening, and factoring in what’s best for the business
• Chiefs of staff are great mediators because they are empathetic, great listeners, and problem-solvers
• Tips for mediating office conflicts:
  1. Identify and communicate the core problem
  2. Talk with parties one-on-one
  3. Encourage open communication
  4. Focus on the compromise
  5. Focus on the issue, not the person
  6. Know when to involve HR

Office conflicts happen, even with a fantastic team and the best intentions. They can occur within teams of lower-level employees, but they also happen among executives. They’re never pleasant, but with the right approach, they can be de-escalated quickly so that everyone can move on and continue working.  The chief of staff role provides a unique perspective in the office. They oversee everything from communication to administration to operations, and they usually know a great deal about the inner workings of each department and how teams are getting along. These individuals are also great mediators and can help resolve office disputes. Let’s talk about conflict resolution and how to mediate conflict as chief of staff.

What is conflict resolution at work?

Conflict resolution has a unique place in the office. It’s a type of problem-solving used to help create a more positive and productive workplace for everyone involved in a given conflict. For conflict resolution to be successful, each party needs to be heard, and their feelings understood. This can often be done through open dialogue, where each side listens to the other’s views. The goal is to reach an understanding without anyone feeling wronged or neglected. This approach works best when all parties can agree on a positive outcome after the meeting. An essential part of conflict resolution is understanding why underlying issues exist between staff members. This includes looking into past practices, organizational policies, internal politics, attitudes, and interpersonal dynamics that may have led to the conflict in the first place. Implementing strategies like collaborative decision-making can help employees find solutions together and foster cooperation and trust among coworkers. With effective communication and open dialogue, reaching a successful resolution often leads to improved relationships between coworkers in the future.

How a chief of staff can act as a mediator

A great chief of staff will have emotional intelligence alongside the ability to evaluate the cause of conflicts and guide people through them. They should generally have characteristics like:

• Being a great listener
• Seeing multiple perspectives at once
• Showing empathy 
• Making employees feel valued
• Identifying where something went wrong

Chiefs of staff can gather the facts about a dispute, talk to each individual involved, and find a solution that everyone will be happy with. More importantly, they know how to align an outcome with the company’s values. They can make a sound decision about which way forward would be best for the organization and satisfy the employees involved.

6 tips for mediating conflicts at work

Of course, building the unique skillset of a chief of staff takes time. If you are dealing with workplace conflicts and have to take on the role of mediator, here are some tips to help you smooth things over:

1. Identify and communicate the core problem

Part of your role as a mediator is getting to the core of an issue. What’s really the cause of this disagreement? What is at stake if it’s not addressed and resolved? How can the core problem be fixed, so it doesn’t happen again? Focus on these issues to help move the parties toward resolution. This allows the parties to move past anything less significant that they may be focusing on too much, like hurt feelings. It will also help you emphasize why it matters to the organization.

2. Talk with the parties one-on-one

Meet with each individual on their own. This allows them plenty of space to air their grievances and for you to get to know their side of things. The conflict may only escalate if you try to get each person’s opinion when everyone’s in the same room. 

3. Encourage open communication

Keeping an open dialogue with your colleagues is necessary to prevent misunderstandings and ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Ensure employees know where to go with questions and concerns throughout the conflict resolution process. Make it clear that the parties should eventually communicate openly with one another to resolve the issue entirely.

4. Focus on the compromise

The goal isn’t to have a winner in conflict resolution. Try to find some middle ground where all parties benefit from the outcome. This could mean divvying up tasks or trying out two approaches to a project. Gather feedback about what each person wants to accomplish and think of a solution that involves giving a little on all sides.

5. Focus on the issue, not the person

People involved in conflicts may quickly blame the other person and call out their flaws and mistakes. As a mediator, avoid doing this throughout the process. Focus on the problem at hand and never the employees themselves. Talk about responsibilities, projects, terms, and desired outcomes. 

6. Know when to involve HR

Not all conflicts are always appropriate for the chief of staff to handle. Sometimes HR or executives need to intervene. HR should be involved if there is something offensive or said or serious accusations involved. For example, if there is no end to the conflict and no one is willing to budge, it may be best for someone higher up to intervene.

Ready to work with Chiefly Consultants?

The key to conflict resolution is to help employees mitigate their frustrations and find a solution that works for everyone. Chiefs of staff can be expert mediators who listen to all parties involved and guide them toward the best resolution for the employees and the company.  Chiefly Consultants provides fractional services from expert chiefs of staff who have developed their soft skills, like conflict resolution, just as much as their hard skills. Our experts help companies and CEOs with various critical administrative and strategic tasks within the business.  Learn more about working with Chiefly Consultants today by scheduling a call with our team.