Stuck together all day, every day for most of the week, your colleagues become like your family. And any family, no matter how close, will have its share of fights and disagreements. Here are ways to channel everyday friction into positive energy instead of building resentment.
Stay in charge...of your emotions
If you've bothered to listen to the airplane safety instructions, you'll notice they always tell you that in an emergency, you need to tend to yourself first before helping others. The same is true of office situations, particularly conflict. If there's a crisis at hand and it's making you angry, take a breather, cool down first before you charge head on to solve things. If you find yourself getting worked up, step away from the situation and get back into it when you're calmer. While anger is natural, and a great motivator, you don't want it to get the better of you.
It's not personal
This one's easier said than done, particularly if you're friends with your co-workers – and increasingly, as workplace cultures evolve, this is the case. Whether it's a difference of creative vision, or a performance evaluation, focus on the job at hand, and try not to take any criticism personally, even if it feels like it is.
It is important to use language that reflects this, putting emphasis on actions taken (or not taken) as opposed to the person who's being criticised.
Listen up
This holds true for just about any conflict, in or out of office. As tempting as it is to get your two taka's worth of say, if all parties are talking at once, all that's generated is a lot of hot air. So take some time to let the other person(s) have their say, before you speak. Ask for clarification if necessary. This way, you don't end up saying something you regret.
Don't sweep it under the rug
The other mistake some people make is to avoid the confrontation altogether. Sometimes you just have to go there and hash out a solution. Ignoring a problem does not make it go away; instead, it festers and breeds resentment. After everyone has had a chance to cool down a little, approach the issue head on and have a level-headed discussion on how to move forward.
Walk a mile in their shoes
Again, with any conflict situation, the best way to resolve things in a manner where everyone comes out satisfied, is to see things from a perspective other than your own. Everyone has a private battle they're fighting, and it is important to recognise that and factor it into the situation. Is the new intern under-performing because he's lazy, or because he's juggling school and the job? Is the part-timer chronically late out of a lack of responsibility, or because the commute is crazy and she doesn't have access to transport? Understanding these underlying issues should help make it easier to brainstorm viable solutions to the problems instead of leading to fights.

Collected from Dhaka Tribune