Are you having trouble dealing with conflict?
As you climb the corporate ladder in your career, you will inevitably encounter conflicts.
Conflict is universal and it happens everywhere around the world.
In today’s episode, Lindsay gets insight from guest Jerry Fu on how to resolve conflict as a global leader in five easy steps.
Jerry is a consultant at Adapting Leaders where he helps professionals improve their conflict resolution skills.
You can use these tips not only in international business but also in life.
Conflict Resolution Coach, Jerry Fu
Lindsay introduces Jerry Fu who is a guest in today’s episode.
He is a Conflict Resolution Coach for Asian-American leaders.
He began his career in the world of Pharmacy.
He eventually took a leadership role in the Pharmaceutical industry and decided to take a career as a leader in conflict resolution.
Jerry shares that he has worked in the real world before he became a leader.
He shares that it was interesting shifting from clinical challenges to people challenges.
He wished so much to develop that he decided that he wanted to help people grow as he came into a higher position.
Lindsay asks Jerry if he has experienced the need for conflict resolution when he was an employee or did he experience it as he was climbing up the corporate ladder.
Jerry answers that there is no shortage of conflict, no matter what position you are in.
The only difference is when you are a leader, you have no choice but to face conflicts.
It has been a long journey for him to realize that and even then he admits that there are still habits he can work on.
Lindsay asks what is the number one challenge in facing conflict that is universal.
Jerry says it’s a combination of being comfortable and respectful.
There are cultures that find it safe to just do nothing and leave it as is.
There are also others that do not want to question authority and just avoid speaking up and creating problems.
On the flip side, there are also cultures that are very direct and blunt which can also create conflict within a conflict.
Resolving Conflict Across Cultures
Lindsay asks Jerry what are his tips on how to resolve conflict across cultures that he can share in today’s episode.
It is very difficult in doing business internationally because you have to deal with differences.
Here are some insights from Jerry that he has shared with many leaders dealing with diverse cultures in the workplace.
- Be a curious learner. You should come in with openness. It helps a lot if you have the awareness to give your background and show a gesture of humility. You can come at it as a student and learn what is the common ground in a variety of cultures and use that to effectively work together.
- Learning to put expectations on the table and putting context on the expectations. As a good leader, don’t just expect things, rather it’s better to explain why you are expecting these things.
- Recognize the cost of inaction. Don’t expect people to figure out why you are mad at them. It will always bring more challenges if you avoid conflict. It’s always better to face it in a healthy way.
5 Step Framework in Resolving Conflict from Jerry Fu
Lindsay asks Jerry what is the framework he usually gives his clients to resolve conflict across cultures.
Jerry mentions that he has a five-step framework that listeners can download for free on his website which is www.adaptingleaders.com.
Here is a quick preview of that framework:
- Imagine what a successful conversation is. Maybe it’s as simple as just speaking up and politely asking what you want to happen to resolve an issue. Whatever the conflict is, it would be best to start a plan.
- Find 10 seconds of courage to send that email or pick up that phone. You want to set the boulder in motion and lock the gate behind. The moment you hesitate, you tend to rationalize and you will then not go ahead and do it.
- Script your critical moves. If you let thoughts run your actions you will not commit to taking that action to face conflict. You can get a piece of paper and write your thoughts and be objective on what you should do.
- Rehearse the script. You want to practice and see if your body language is right for the situation. Conflict is not only resolved by logic and verbal exchange. Your tone and body language matter also.
- Just do it. All these steps prepare you in making sure you take action and resolve that conflict. If everything doesn’t go according to your planning, you still have a chance to look back and tweak your approach. These steps and planning can help you see what went wrong and what to do better the next time.
Takeaway
Jerry Fu has a lot of materials you can use to be a better leader in your career.
Facing conflicts can be very difficult especially if you are dealing with multiple cultures.
Take the tips shared in today’s episode and elevate your style of leadership.
What conflict are you facing right now in work that would be resolved using these steps from Jerry Fu?
Happy to hear how you’ll apply it in the business world in the comments down below.
Jerry’s Bio:
Jerry is a conflict resolution coach who helps Asian-American leaders advance in their career and life journeys. Having taken on several pharmacy leadership roles, Jerry started coaching in 2017 to help other Asian-American professionals deal with the conflict they encounter at work, with their culture, and within themselves. Prior to starting his coaching business, Jerry served as a pharmacist and began facilitating leadership workshops in 2012. Today, Jerry offers a range of coaching services, which includes individual coaching, group workshops, and keynote presentations. He has appeared on over a hundred podcasts and plans to appear in plenty more. To learn more, you can visit https://www.adaptingleaders.com.
