Surely most paralegals have no need for this advice, right? 🙂 But do you?
"[C]onflict is built into the very fabric of their organizations. When conflict is not dealt with well, it can create strained relationships and grow to sap the time, energy, and productivity of even the best teams. Dealt with positively, conflict can also be a catalyst that sets the stage for needed changes. You will never deal with conflict perfectly, but here are a few tips worth using in dealing with your most difficult people:
"1. Talk to people instead of about them. Dealing with conflict directly may be uncomfortable and lead to some disappointment, but it cuts down the mindreading and the resentment that can occur when problems are not dealt with directly. Timing, tact, and taking distance will always have their place, but make sure you still keep conflict eyeball to eyeball.
[snip]
"Finally, don’t forget to spend some time looking in a mirror. Ron Zemke put it well when he said, ‘If you find that everywhere you go you’re always surrounded by jerks and you’re constantly being forced to strike back at them or correct their behavior, guess what? You’re a jerk.’ Influencing others starts by making sure that you’re not being difficult yourself."
By Dr. Terry Paulson, a psychologist, speaker, & author of "They Shoot Managers Don’t They?"