Level 1 - EMPLOYER: Beginning To Creating A Culture of Zen In The Workplace

While identifying the types of conflict most common in you specifically face, you used you data gathering skills to put together a 'conflict health' picture of your organization. You should use this as a  ‘reference point’ as you begin to proactively implement a strategy to improve the culture in the workplace. This will ensure that employees will not simply mindlessly do what they have always done without critically reviewing the consequences of their actions. 

Before you expect to see real change, however, you need to take the time to properly educate your managers and employees as to how to interact with each other. Research shows that the collaborative approach is most effective in dealing with conflict in the workplace.  This is because it serves to increase trust and empathy among managers and their subordinates. 

Using the CPR Philosophy is one to implement a collaborative approach in the workplace. This credo states, “staff do well at their jobs if they can. If they can’t, managers need to help them figure out why, so they can.” 


The basic steps in implementing the CPR’s collaborative approach is as follows:

Step 1: This entails the establishment of a collaborative relationship among employees and management.

A. We have previously explored how active listening plays a big part in the establishing a relation of trust and understanding. Under the CPR Philosophy, all employees must also take the time to actively listen to each other’s point of view. Managers, however, must be especially mindful of not presenting theirs viewpoints as if it they are objective truth.  It is important for them to convey their viewpoints on the same level as their subordinates.

B. After colleagues have engaged in active listening, those who are in conflict must then take the time to define the issues that they believe is the root of the dispute.  This should be gleaned from the information they gathered during active listening. Both parties must then check-in with each other to ensure that they are correct in their assessment of the issues.

Step 2: After the issues are defined, the employees must then agree to work together to tackle the issues they have identified to be the root of their conflict.

Step 3: Finally, there should be a give-and-take dialogue among disputes colleagues that is focused on brainstorming possible solutions to the issues they have presented as the root of their conflict.  Note, this involves people working together to have all the issues resolved… not just their own.

Obviously there is more to building and implementing a collaborative culture. There will be more tools regarding conflict management and prevention on Zen Workplaces.  It is important to note, however, that research shows that ‘[i]naction in response to discontent voiced by an employee is likely to exacerbate feelings of injustice.’ As such, utilizing the techniques discussed here should help in avoiding this pitfall. 


~Here is to Zen in the Workplace!