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As the saying goes: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Tania Coke, Senior Mediation Consultant at Consensio, confesses to HR Grapevine: “I would like to be able to put my hand to my heart and say that words have never hurt me. But it would be dishonest. Words have power. They affect the way people think, feel and act.”
This is as true of conflict management as it is any other field, or walk of life. Coke expands on this: “The way we talk about a conflict, even if we are only onlookers to that conflict, can influence its outcome. This is a sobering thought for anyone in an organisation who handles workplace disputes – which presumably includes anyone reading this.”
So, how can HR ensure their choice of words does not exacerbate the conflicts?
