Workplace Conflict Resolution: Angilie Kapoor Of Oversight Global On How Team Leaders Can Create The Right Environment To Resolve Conflicts
An Interview With Eric Pines
Foster Trust and Respect: Trust and respect are essential ingredients for a healthy team environment. As a team leader, you need to create an atmosphere of trust and respect by modeling these behaviors. Encourage your team members to communicate openly, honestly, and respectfully, even when they disagree. By fostering trust and respect, you can create an environment that encourages constructive conflict resolution.
An important component of leadership is conflict resolution. Why is conflict resolution so important? How can leaders effectively incorporate conflict resolution into their work culture? In this interview series called “Workplace Conflict Resolution: How Team Leaders Can Create The Right Environment To Resolve Conflicts,” we are talking to business leaders who can share insights and anecdotes from their experience about how to implement Conflict Resolution at work. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing leadership coach and founder of Oversight Global, Angilie Kapoor.
Angilie Kapoor, a highly acclaimed leader with over 20 years of experience in healthcare, is dedicated to helping managers unlock their full potential and become impactful leaders. Through her extensive background in management and leadership, she offers invaluable knowledge and insights gained from her own journey. Angilie is the founder of Oversight Global, an organization dedicated to addressing the consciousness crisis in the world one leader at a time. Her mission is to educate and empower aspiring leaders, enabling them to make a significant impact on the world.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
Thank you for having me! I’m excited and humbled to be a part of this series. Absolutely! My journey to becoming a leadership coach and management expert didn’t start off easy. I spent years struggling in my healthcare management roles, feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Despite constantly studying leadership and management concepts, I felt like a failure. I was constantly anxious and stressed, which eventually led to me emotionally erupting during a meeting with my team. That experience was a wake-up call that pushed me to make a change.
I realized I needed to overcome my struggles to become the kind of boss everyone wants to have. So, I started to embark on a journey of self-awareness and self-discovery. I asked myself the tough questions and learned about who I truly was at that time. It all started with my mindset. Slowly but surely, I transformed myself into the kind of leader my team members and peers wanted to follow. I also became the leader I needed to be for myself.
Today, I utilize my management and leadership journey and the knowledge and insights I’ve gained along the way to help other managers thrive. My goal is to empower them to become the leader they were meant to be. I understand how hard it is to feel overwhelmed and frustrated in a management role, but I also know that with the right mindset and tools, any manager can transform themselves and become an effective leader.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
Oh my goodness! There are so many interesting stories… Well, I can share this, my management and leadership career has always involved tremendously challenging circumstances. My first management position was for a rather difficult department, I’ve managed teams through nerve-wrecking mergers and even transitioned a whole clinic through re-organizing and developing as a new start up.
Certainly, one of the most interesting stories that happened to me in my management and leadership career was during my most recent and my last workplace managerial position. This new role also started off with some incredibly challenging tasks. One of them was related to a serious conflict between two of my staff members, who were completely new to me, who had a history of personal differences. The situation was particularly sensitive, so it needed to be handled delicately. With collaboration and tremendous efforts from the human resources department, the situation was mediated and reconciled successfully. Witnessing this transformation was truly rewarding, and it gave me a newfound appreciation for the power of effective communication and conflict resolution strategies.
Another significant event that arose right out of the gate with this particular position was when I had to terminate a staff member, again who was totally new to me, for a serious infraction. This was one of the most difficult moments of my career — I was a brand new manager to this organization and my team and I knew that this could devastate the team and organization morale. I carefully prepared for the conversation, and when the time arrived, I approached it with empathy, honesty, and clear communication. Surprisingly, the outcome was much better than I had expected. My team understood why this difficult decision was necessary, which made for a smoother transition moving forward.
And I was also tasked with conducting annual performance reviews in this particular position, again for a team completely new to me that I had never worked with before. Although this may not seem like a particularly interesting story, it was a unique opportunity for me to learn how to develop trusting relationships with my new team rather quickly. It started with various one-on-one conversations and regular touchpoints to provide feedback and answer any questions that arose. By the time we had completed the performance reviews, I and my new staff members had developed a level of comfort and trust that allowed us to continue building and growing together.
Overall, my last managerial position was full of challenging and interesting situations that truly tested my abilities. But these experiences taught me invaluable skills and helped me realize that I was actually more capable than I had actually realized.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
Oh boy! I have learned a lot of valuable life lessons so far and I’m sure they’ll be plenty more. However, there is one quote that particularly stands out to me, I’ve referred to it time and time again for several years now. It’s a quote by the iconic Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.”
To me, this quote speaks volumes about the power of our own mindset and how we choose to perceive the world around us. For a long time, I struggled with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, especially in the early years of my career as a healthcare manager. I would often take criticism or rejection from people to heart, allowing their words and actions to affect my self-worth and confidence.
It wasn’t until I started my own self-awareness and self-discovery journey that I began to truly understand the truth behind this quote. I realized that I had been giving others the power to control my emotions and my reactions to situations. I started to consciously shift my mindset, choosing to focus on my strengths and my successes rather than dwelling on my failures or perceived shortcomings.
This quote has been relevant in so many areas of my life, both personal and professional. It has helped me bounce back from setbacks and failures, and it has given me the confidence to take risks and pursue new opportunities. Whenever I feel myself starting to doubt my abilities or compare myself to others, I remind myself that no one can make me feel inferior without my permission. It’s a powerful reminder of the control we have over our own lives and our own happiness.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
What sets myself and my company, Oversight Global, apart is our unwavering belief in the power of personal transformation. You see, I’ve experienced first hand and have come to believe that true leadership comes from within and that by helping individuals tap into their inner phenomenal leaders, which we all have inside of us, they can create positive change not only in themselves but also in others — their teams, organizations and communities. By sharing this powerful philosophy and message, my goal is for us to lead the way in transforming the world of management and leadership.
Now, what I think makes myself and my company stand out is our commitment to our core values in addition to our philosophy. Our core values include creating awareness, consciousness, empowerment, responsibility, authenticity, and leadership. We believe that by instilling these values in our clients and ourselves, we can help transform individuals into powerful and authentic leaders.
The story of how my company, Oversight Global, came to be is actually rooted in the shocking realization of the prevalent consciousness crisis that plagues the world today, particularly in the field of management and leadership. It all started on my own personal management and leadership journey as well as in my observations of others embarking on similar career journeys as well. My personal experience and observations prompted the need for me to address the lack of awareness that’s prevalent among those in positions of authority in the workplace. I recognized a gap between the reality of what managers were capable of achieving and what they actually achieved, and understood that the root cause of this gap was a lack of consciousness.
With this understanding, I set out to create a company that would help aspiring leaders become more aware of what they were missing, both in their professional and personal lives. I wanted to help these individuals realize how much more they were capable of achieving, by introducing them to the concept of consciousness and empowering them to embark on their own unique transformative journeys.
Now, my company name, Oversight Global, was chosen with great intuitiveness, as it embodies both the reason behind my company’s creation and its mission. “Oversight” represents the unintentional failure to notice or miss something, which is exactly what I set out to overcome by helping managers become more aware of their potential. At the same time, “oversight” also conveys the act of effectively overseeing something, which reflects our company’s mission to foster transformation and empower managers to reach their fullest potential.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
As a successful business leader, I firmly believe that there are three character traits that were most instrumental to my success: a strong, success and growth mindset, the ability to be flexible and adaptable, and a high sense of self-awareness.
To begin with, being a business leader comes with a lot of ups and downs, and there are plenty of challenges to face. My ‘never give up’ attitude and mentality have been key, in my opinion, in helping me bounce back from setbacks and failures quickly. A popular business example is with marketing strategies and efforts. Launching something new is never as easy as it seems. While the initial hype may be good, I’ve frequently had struggles to get things going. While it may be easy to just give up, I tend to really lean into my ‘never give up’ state of mind to take the time to analyze data and make the adjustments needed to eventually find success.
Also, my ability to be flexible and adaptable has also been critical to my success. Again, being a business leader is like riding a roller coaster, and I believe that my ability to be flexible and adaptable to changes, to learn new things, make adjustments as needed, and not be afraid to take risks has been key. To give an example, there was an instance where we had planned a major marketing campaign, but due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we had to postpone it several times over quite a bit of time. Instead of letting this setback dampen my spirits, I stayed calm and exercised patience as well as sought out appropriate help and utilized my problem-solving abilities leading to success.
Lastly, having a high sense of self-awareness has been vital to my success. Knowing your core values and priorities is essential in being a successful leader in the workplace, in business and even in life! When you have a high degree of self-awareness, you are motivated and inspired during challenging times. Having great integrity as a leader also means being your authentic self. A particular example comes to mind. There have been several occasions and there will continue to be several occasions when as a business leader you’re presented with a tempting offer or opportunity. However, I’ve learned that if these things don’t align with your and your company’s core values and priorities, then it’s best that you decline or move on. This decision has ultimately built trust and respect with our followers and clients and has helped us maintain the integrity of our brand.
Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader?
I agree wholeheartedly that making difficult decisions is a fundamental aspect of leadership. One story that comes to mind is when I was faced with the challenge of addressing chronic operational inefficiencies, ineffectiveness and patient complaints in my clinics as a practice manager. This was no easy feat and ultimately I determined that it required significant changes to be implemented in order to resolve these issues.
The first step was to carefully analyze the root causes of the problems which took me two years to do. It required extensive report analysis and conversations with staff, doctors, patients and other clinic administration. It quickly became clear that our current front desk scheduling and patient check-in model was not working and needed to be completely overhauled. After careful consideration and analysis, I decided to propose a drastic change to our board of directors to switch to an internal call center model.
My first two initial proposals were rejected. However, despite all of my efforts to find alternative solutions, I kept coming back to the same solution and refused to give up.
On my third attempt to convince the board, they finally, unanimously approved and tasked me with moving forward with the change.
However, the planning and implementation of this model was met with significant resistance and anxiety from all levels of our team, including staff, doctors and even some leadership. My project team and I worked extremely hard over several months to ensure that everyone was on the same page and understood the reasoning behind our decision. We provided extensive training to all team members to ensure that they were prepared for the new model in order to provide exceptional patient service while maintaining high levels of operational efficiency.
Despite the initial apprehension, the new model turned out to be a resounding success. Patient complaints were significantly reduced, operations were more streamlined, and overall productivity increased. The decision to implement this new model was undoubtedly a difficult one, but it was ultimately the right choice for the clinic, our staff and our patients.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Let’s start with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. What does Conflict Resolution mean?
Absolutely, my pleasure. To me, conflict resolution means resolving disagreements, variances and differences between two or more parties. It’s a strategy to identify, address and resolve conflicts in a peaceful and amicable manner with the main objective being to restore relationships and achieve mutually acceptable solutions that are satisfactory to all parties involved.
What are some common misunderstandings about Conflict Resolution that are important to clear up?
Great question! Some misunderstandings about Conflict Resolution that I’ve uncovered over my career include the misunderstanding that conflict resolution means that people need to suppress their emotions and communicate in a purely logical and rational way. However, it’s important to remember that we as humans are emotional beings, and it is crucial to acknowledge and validate emotions in any conflict resolution process. I’ve learned that ignoring emotions can lead to unresolved conflicts and resentment and that as a leader it’s important to make sure that people’s feelings are considered and addressed in conflict resolution processes.
Another misconception is that conflict resolution means seeking a compromise where both parties give up something. While compromise is sometimes a valid option, it is not always the optimal solution. I personally prefer to strive to seek a win-win resolution where all parties are satisfied and their needs are met. I believe that win-win agreements tend to be more sustainable and long-lasting, as they foster goodwill and trust between parties.
Another important aspect that is often overlooked in conflict resolution is the importance of listening actively and empathetically. I’ve found that people often jump to conclusions and assume they understand the other party’s point of view without really listening to them. A saying that I frequently keep in mind and share is, “Seek to understand before seeking to be understood.” This approach has served me well in my personal interactions and in helping to resolve conflicts as well.
And the last common misconception I’ll point out is that conflict resolution is a one-and-done solution. However, conflicts can resurface, and ongoing communication and collaboration may be needed to maintain the resolution. It’s wise to realize and keep in mind that Conflict resolution is a process, not a one-time event.
This might be intuitive to you, but it will be helpful to clearly express this. Can you please explain why it is so important for leaders to learn and deploy conflict resolution techniques?
I’ve learned that ultimately leadership is about the human experience. People are different in various ways including opinions, feelings, reactions, thoughts, etcetera. While our differences are beautiful and beneficial to our life experience, there will undoubtedly be friction. And friction and differences must be addressed effectively in order to create and maintain a healthy environment.
When leaders acquire the necessary skills to address conflicts and minimize disruptions, they can create an environment that fosters harmony and collaboration. A healthy working environment requires productive relationships, and this can only be achieved when organizations have leaders who understand the nuances of conflict resolution.
Leaders who are proficient in conflict resolution tend to have team members with increased job satisfaction. When team members feel heard, valued, and supported during times of disagreement or misunderstanding, they are more likely to remain committed to their work. A peaceful workplace environment promotes productivity and boosts morale as employees are less likely to be distracted by negativity and interpersonal issues and can focus on work that is meaningful and rewarding.
On the flip side, what happens to a work culture when there is not an effective way of resolving conflict? How does it impact employees?
When a work culture does not have an effective leader who knows how to resolve conflict, it can quickly spiral out of control, which ultimately results in an environment that is unhealthy, negative and toxic for employees. Employees who are dealing with conflict or are exposed to it can experience a range of negative emotions, such as stress, anxiety, and frustration, leading to psychological distress, loss of motivation and decreased job satisfaction.
A work culture that does not prioritize resolving conflicts can also impact employees’ physical health, leading to a range of health issues. High levels of conflict can negatively affect the productivity and creativity of employees, a lack of trust, and cohesion also affects team collaboration, impeding the growth and success of the organization.
Failing to address conflicts in the workplace can have serious consequences for both employees and the organization as a whole. It can lead to a decline in employee morale, productivity, well-being, and even impact the profitability of the company. Therefore, it is crucial for leaders to possess the proficiency needed to resolve conflicts and to take proactive steps to create a positive work environment that fosters open communication, mutual respect, and effective conflict resolution.
Can you provide examples of how effective conflict resolution has led to increased team performance, collaboration, or innovation within your organization?
In my experience as a business owner and leader, effective conflict resolution has been a crucial component in promoting increased team performance, collaboration, and innovation within my organization. I have witnessed numerous instances where resolving conflicts has resulted in positive outcomes for my team and our company.
For example, creative differences tend to be the cause of conflict for my team. I think it’s only natural that this occurs because our team members are very passionate when it comes to creating content and resources that support our audience and our mission.
I’ve especially found this to be true for myself because my company is an extension of my passion and purpose. I can sometimes be particularly sensitive to disagreements or variances.
Fortunately, our team has learned and continues to learn to resolve conflict by using effective communication techniques. We encouraged active listening and empathetic understanding, which has led to mutual respect and understanding. We also determine and agree on mutual goals in regards to resolving conflict, and always seek to find a win-win solution.
As a result of these conflict resolution skills, our team is able to develop high-quality content and resources for those we serve.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “Five Ways Every Team Leader Can Create The Right Environment To Resolve Conflicts”?
1. Embrace Differences: As a team leader, you must teach and exemplify how to see conflicts from a different perspective. Instead of viewing differences as obstacles, reframe them as opportunities for growth. Encourage your team members to recognize and respect one another’s differences and to appreciate them as unique strengths. By doing so, you can build a more cohesive team that values diversity and promotes inclusivity.
2. Depersonalize Conflict: One of the keys to resolving conflicts is to remove unnecessary emotion from the situation. Teach your team members that differences and conflicts are not personal and that disagreements can arise without malice. Encourage them to approach conflicts with a level head and strive for objectivity. By depersonalizing the issue, you can focus on finding a solution rather than getting caught up in negative emotions.
3. Foster Trust and Respect: Trust and respect are essential ingredients for a healthy team environment. As a team leader, you need to create an atmosphere of trust and respect by modeling these behaviors. Encourage your team members to communicate openly, honestly, and respectfully, even when they disagree. By fostering trust and respect, you can create an environment that encourages constructive conflict resolution.
4. Promote Empathy and Compassion: Empathy and compassion are crucial qualities in any leader, especially when it comes to conflict resolution. Encourage your team members to put themselves in each other’s shoes and consider their perspective. By fostering empathy and compassion, you can create an environment in which people are more inclined to resolve their differences peacefully.
5. Seek Win-Win Solutions: Finally, as a team leader, you must strive for win-win solutions. Encourage your team members to think creatively and find solutions that satisfy everyone’s needs. By seeking win-win solutions, you can create an environment in which conflicts are resolved satisfactorily for all parties involved, and everyone comes out feeling empowered and respected.
In your experience, what are the most common sources of conflict within a team, and how do you proactively address these potential issues before they escalate?
In my vast experience as a leader in both corporate and entrepreneurial settings, I have found that teams are most susceptible to conflicts when there is a mismatch in regards to their shared goals and visions, communication, role clarity and expectations. These factors often play an important role in determining the success or failure of a team.
Firstly, when there is a lack of clear understanding of roles and responsibilities among team members, it can lead to conflicts. This often happens in situations where team members are confused or uncertain about their specific duties, which can result in overlaps, gaps and misunderstandings. It may also lead to some members feeling overburdened while others feel underutilized. To prevent such scenarios, as a proactive measure, I always ensure that roles are clearly defined and communicated to team members at the onset of a project and if any changes are made to such roles, all team members are informed.
Secondly, in an absence of effective communication, a team can fall apart quickly. This could include failure to convey information sufficiently, not listening actively, using dismissive or disrespectful language, or lack of clarity in communication. It could cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations, which can snowball into damaging conflicts. To tackle this problem proactively, I encourage regular team check-ins, one-on-one meetings and also foster an environment where feedback is given freely in a constructive and respectful way.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
If I could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, I would continue to focus on addressing the consciousness crisis in the world, one leader at a time. This movement that I have already put into motion is focused on inspiring individuals to unleash their inner phenomenal leaders, which we all possess, which is not just applicable to our professional lives — the workplace or in business; but in all aspects of our experiences.
The consciousness crisis that we are facing in the world is the lack of awareness and mindfulness that is causing distress and suffering for individuals and communities. People are disconnected from themselves and their environment, leading to a sense of disempowerment and lack of purpose. This is a major issue that needs to be addressed, as it negatively impacts mental and physical health, relationships, and overall well-being.
My movement initially targets leaders in the workplace however is applicable to all walks of life. Eventually, I’d like to expand to help aspiring leaders in all contexts become more aware and conscious of their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. I believe in doing so, that an individual’s self-awareness and consciousness will radiate positively to those around them, creating a ripple effect of positivity throughout the community and beyond.
Through this movement, I aim to create a world where leadership is not just about power and authority, but about empowering individuals to live their best lives. By addressing the consciousness crisis in the world, I believe that the most amount of good to the most amount of people can be done, creating a happier, healthier, and more harmonious world for us all.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Website: https://www.oversightglobal.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oversightglobal1356/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oversightglobal
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oversight-global-llc/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@oversightglobal
Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/angiliemkapoor
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Workplace Conflict Resolution: Angilie Kapoor Of Oversight Global On How Team Leaders Can Create… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.