There are many different types of relationships in a workplace that can experience the negative effects of conflict. While we’ve discussed conflict between team members, customers, and managers, it’s also important to discuss how to repair a relationship with a business partner after experiencing some foundation-shaking tensions.
How to Repair a Relationship with a Business Partner
Repairing a relationship with a business partner is necessary if you intend to continue working together, but may also be important if you decide to part ways. Maintaining respect in this relationship is pivotal either way, as you never know when you may encounter them again. Learning how to repair a relationship with a business partner can extend the life of the business by strengthening the relationship and using conflict to reinforce growth. Here are some steps to take to navigate this.
De-Escalate Any Remaining Tension
Before repair can begin, ensure the flames don’t keep getting flamed. This step of workplace and conflict management requires the ability to identify and regulate your own emotions while also emitting positive or neutral energy and being amicable with the person you’re in conflict with. This is a necessary step before repair can begin because repair can’t happen if anger is on the rise. If you’re not sure how to do this effectively, de-escalation training can help give you the tools to do so.
Take Responsibility
When rebuilding trust, it’s important for both parties to take responsibility for where they contributed to the negative impacts. It’s hardly true in conflict that the blame falls entirely on one party. Common conflict management approaches in the workplace show us that naming your part, offering an honest apology, and identifying what you could have done differently bridges the gap between disputing parties as well as helping both work toward a more cohesive solution.
Empathize with Their Perspective
One of the most effective ways to solve conflict in the workplace is to go back to the basics of our human experience. What do upset people need the most? To be heard, validated, and understood. This is not about being empirically right or proving a point but rather creating a foundation where rightness doesn’t dictate respect. Step inside of their experience and understand where they’re coming from so that you can move forward with a deeper mutual understanding of each other.
Learn Effective Communication
When learning how to repair a relationship with a business partner, identifying core communication skills can go a long way. Communication skills are about what you say, how you say it, how you listen, and how you respond. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication and a certain degree of emotional intelligence can help you navigate whether or not something actually needs to be said, or if it will just cause more problems with little gain.
If you’re navigating how to repair a relationship with a business partner, get support to avoid making more conflict-inducing mistakes. Contact Pollack Peacebuilding Systems today to get the right solutions for your team.
