Resolving Workplace Conflicts: General - Bad Attitudes (PDF)

Conflict tends to have a negative connotation based on our experiences, but it does not have to be this way. When we seek to understand, we communicate that we care enough to work through difficult situations and determine how to make things better to reduce stress, promote communication and enhance teamwork.

In this situation, a bad attitude is extremely detrimental to an organization when it continues to go unaddressed. If this behavior goes unaddressed, it is like a cancer allowed to fester and spread to other team members. When unaddressed team members lose respect for management and ultimately may result in increased turnover and the loss of high-quality talent which is extremely expensive to replace. While we promote giving this individual the benefit of the doubt and providing opportunities for improvement, we also acknowledge that if progress is not realized within the desired and agreed upon timeframe that other more dramatic solutions may need to be employed.

With this tool you get the following:

•  The effects of a bad attitude on other team members.
•  Considerations for why the individual has a bad attitude.
•  Potential advantages this individual brings to the workplace.
•  Numerous recommendations/suggestions for improvement.
•  Ideas for negotiating/adjusting solutions.
•  Potential barriers and ways to overcome them to achieve resolution.
•  Implementation timeframe.
•  Follow-up review commitments.

Additionally, we provide a blank, editable Conflict Resolution Worksheet and the Worksheet Guidelines providing a step-by-step process for addressing your own workplace conflicts.