Successful Writing and Speaking: The Communication Collection (9 Books)

Helping Your Employees Manage Difficult Interactions

IT’S ALMOST ALWAYS best for your direct reports to resolve conflicts without your intervention. And it’s useful for you to set that expectation with your direct reports. But how do you know when things have gone too far, and you need to step in?

Before we jump into this topic, note this important point: if a conflict involves illegal conduct, such as sexual harassment or civil rights violations, it goes far beyond the definition of difficult interaction . In such cases, you need to consult the appropriate resources (typically your company’s HR or legal department) to handle the situation.