Workplace Conflict Resolution: Brian Kellerman Of GoGather On How Team Leaders Can Create The Right Environment To Resolve Conflicts
An Interview With Eric Pines
Encourage a culture of collaboration, empathy, and trust. This is truly the foundation to creating an effective workplace. Whether you’re in-office or remote, your employees should be taking time to understand their coworkers, build relationships, and learn how to communicate effectively.
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 Brian Kellerman.
Brian Kellerman is the CEO and Partner of GoGather, an experiential marketing and event management company. Prior to founding GoGather, Kellerman was the Executive Vice President of Vision Event Productions and the Executive Producer of Premier Productions.
Kellerman is an expert in audio/visual technologies and has a Strategic Meetings Management Certificate. Kellerman has a degree from San Diego State University and has also served on the Board of the San Diego American Marketing Association.
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?
Like many, I took a less than direct path to my specific career. I leveraged my love of music (and good times) into starting a DJ business while attending SDSU, where I earned a BS in Geology. As I graduated, the DJ business had grown and I was introduced to the world of meetings and events through relationships I had built with hoteliers. I had become fascinated with the A/V and production side of the business and spent the next few years transitioning the DJ business into a full-blown production management agency.
Over the years within that business, my interests turned from the initial attraction to the latest and greatest production tech to the actual purpose and strategy behind meetings and events. I realized that in-person interactions were an extremely effective and valuable business tool that also had the potential to improve the outlook and lives of others. I was hooked and, ever since, have worked to help businesses leverage meetings and events to accomplish objectives, gather people, and gain success.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
Like most things, event planning is hard work and the process is not always super interesting. Logistics, budget management, timelines, etc., can start to seem mundane.
The interesting part is seeing the results of my work happen in real-time. Unlike other jobs that support large organizations, where oftentimes the work of a single person goes unnoticed, developing strategy and executing a plan for an in-person meeting provides immediate feedback.
The energy and enthusiasm at a well-planned and executed program is obvious. It’s my favorite thing about the business and really the main thing I remember when I leave an event.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
I don’t necessarily have a favorite life lesson quote, so I will make up my own. “Bringing people together in person to share experiences creates powerful bonds that give us strength and meaning, and have the ability to improve all things.”
I have been blessed to have a big family and large gatherings have been a regular part of my life. I think that is what laid the foundation of my belief in the power of gatherings. I have seen several organizations take on huge and complex challenges and leverage the power of bringing people together to become more than the sum of their parts.
In this increasingly digital world, the craving for human connection has never been higher. Returning to in-person meetings after the pandemic was an incredible experience, with hearing the excitement and seeing the joy on everyone’s faces, be it the Uber drivers, hotel staff, attendees or leaders of the business. It was a confirmation of what I have spent my career advocating for.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Like any great business, it is our people that make GoGather stand out. We have an amazing team who are passionate about what they do and love bringing people together. When working with multiple clients on projects that are often highly stressful, our employees build strong relationships that are built on mutual trust that is formed and supported throughout the process. Through understanding company goals and objectives, our people are able to provide clients with information and ideas that ensure the success of projects.
Oftentimes it’s the little things that can make a big difference, as was the case when one of our project managers overheard a general session speaker during rehearsals mention he had mistakenly brought the wrong color shoes. This very likely would have gone unnoticed by everyone in the audience, however, the project manager casually asked for his shoe size and ran out to grab a new pair before the presentation. The speaker was thrilled, not so much to have the new shoes, but at the kind gesture of the project manager to do everything within their power to put this person at ease during a stressful moment.
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?
Passion. It’s cliche, but there is a lot to be said about loving what you do.
After 20+ years, I still get excited (and a little nervous) at the start of every event. Watching attendees arrive, smiling faces, excited chatter, and that moment when the general session doors open for the first time, music pumping, lights flashing. It will never get old.
We have recently been working with a company that leverages their annual sales kickoff as an opportunity for ALL team members (of what is predominantly a blue-collar workforce) to gather in person and not only hear about the future of the business, but also attend sessions that help them in their own lives in areas such as personal development, financial management, goal setting, mindfulness, etc. It’s highly rewarding to hear first-hand from these attendees how the gathering has helped them advance both personally and professionally.
Personality. It should go without saying, but in order to be a successful leader, you should not only really enjoy being around other people but also take a genuine interest in them and their goals and interests. It is important to first gain an understanding of those you work with and understand their perspective to more effectively be able to communicate with them and build a relationship that is based on trust and mutual respect.
Working in an industry that relies heavily on outside suppliers can be challenging. There are multiple personalities and varying objectives that each individual may bring to a given project. Taking the time to get to know the individuals we rely on to support our business can make a huge difference in the outcome of a project. Areas or conversations that could easily become confrontational such as contract negotiations, disputes, last-minute changes, etc., are more easily navigated when there is mutual trust and understanding of each other’s perspectives.
Patience. Obviously things don’t always go as planned or work out the way we hope on the first try, or tenth try for that matter. Having patience, humility, and, perhaps most importantly, persistence is crucial.
Often challenges arise that seem insurmountable, creating elevated stress levels and prompting knee-jerk reactions that are rarely productive or produce positive results. It is important in these situations to take a step back, and maybe wait a second before hitting the send button on that flaming email or saying something that is counterproductive. Take the time to consider other solutions or modifications to actions that might still achieve the desired objectives.
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?
The pandemic was obviously difficult for many businesses. But the events industry got hit extra hard. There were many difficult decisions we had to make, including deciding initially to take all our events virtual. Then it turned into, okay, can we host smaller events regionally? How do we ensure people feel safe? What is the best path of action that will make sure we’re following guidelines and making people feel like they can be in-person again, but still doing things that are beneficial to our business. It was definitely a challenge that we’re happy to be past, but also taught us some great lessons about safety and the attendee experience that we still employ today.
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?
Conflict resolution enables individuals to gain a clear understanding of each other’s situations and intentions, which fosters empathy and mutual understanding, and reduces conflict (i.e. unproductive disagreements or arguments) among employees to allow for greater productivity and overall happiness within one’s job.
What are some common misunderstandings about Conflict Resolution that are important to clear up?
Three myths about conflict:
- Conflict only arises when there is a significant difference of opinion or personal situations.
- Resolutions are easily found through standard systems or processes.
- It is obvious or easy for leadership to understand the conflicts.
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?
Our employees look to us for an example of how to exist in the workplace. It’s vital for leaders to know healthy and effective ways to manage conflict, so not only can they handle conflict at the leadership level, but also so they can show by example for the entire organization.
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?
An interesting study posted on SHRM says:
- “81 percent of remote professionals have experienced workplace conflict.
- 46 percent use a work messaging app for their arguments.”
Being able to resolve conflict effectively is crucial for businesses, especially those that have a remote workforce.
Remote work can be beneficial for companies, but we have also seen how remote work can make company culture, trust, and empathy difficult to build. When people are working remotely, it’s much easier to fall into your own bubble, avoid building strong relationships, and let frustration get the best of you (especially on Slack channels).
This happens in-person, too. Slack channels can still be used to take out frustrations, as can inter-employee gossiping. It shows up differently, but has the same consequences.
Without proper conflict resolution, time is wasted, morale declines, and businesses don’t function at their best. If a leader can’t help address conflict, employees lose faith in their organization, and oftentimes that will lead to an exit from the company.
Can you provide examples of how effective conflict resolution has led to increased team performance, collaboration, or innovation within your organization?
As an experiential marketing agency managing large-scale events for clients, there are many “high-stress” aspects within our work. Tight deadlines, strict budgets, large teams with differing objectives, long periods of traveling away from home, and just when you have all of that figured out, nature tends to throw curve balls like weather delays or global pandemics. All this to say, it’s pretty easy to lose it if you are not 100% confident you have the support of your team, which starts with ensuring strong relationships and communication.
High-stress situations are ripe for conflict, and if left unchecked, effectiveness and overall outcomes will become diminished. Implementing effective conflict resolution plans allows teams to feel comfortable and confident in their working environments. That confidence leads to increased communication and productivity as team members trust each other and are willing to share ideas that lead to innovative solutions.
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”? If you can, please share specific examples of a workplace conflict you’ve encountered, and how you applied conflict resolution techniques to address it.
1 . Encourage a culture of collaboration, empathy, and trust. This is truly the foundation to creating an effective workplace. Whether you’re in-office or remote, your employees should be taking time to understand their coworkers, build relationships, and learn how to communicate effectively.
2 . Set clear expectations: Make sure that everyone on your team understands what is expected of them when it comes to resolving conflicts. This includes setting guidelines for how conflicts should be handled, and making sure that everyone knows what steps to take when conflicts arise.
3 . Provide support: Make sure there are resources available to every employee that they can access at any time to know who to speak to when conflict arises and how to address it. Also make sure that when employees come to you with difficulties, that you listen and help them navigate the situation.
4 . Lead by example. No matter what level of leadership you’re at, your employees look to you for guidance on how to act in the workplace and communicate with their colleagues. It’s vital that you do your best to effectively communicate and address conflict when it arises.
5 . And our favorite: Host in-person meetings and events throughout the year to get your teams together and help them drive that understanding between each other. This is also an opportunity to educate employees on conflict resolution, reinforce your values, and teach proper communication techniques.
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?
I think it all boils down to trust and empathy. We see this a lot in remote workplaces, where people are less prone to reach out to colleagues and understand their points of view.
This is something that I think is key to understanding whenever you’re approaching conflict management. Is the conflict a symptom of a larger company culture issue, wherein employees are not encouraged to understand each other and find empathy between each other?
That’s where the foundations of trust and empathy come in: they are especially important in preventing conflict and also resolving conflict (see this article in Psychology Today). And the best way to build them is through in-person interactions — and no, that doesn’t have to be bringing everyone back into the office full-time.
That’s why we typically recommend putting in-person meetings and events into your overall annual strategy.
In-person events allow teams to stay remote while building relationships and teamwork in an environment that is more conducive to those goals. Coworkers can connect in an intentional environment — plus, who doesn’t bond with coworkers over a beer or two? In-person meetings and events get people out of their bubble and into the sphere of their team.
On a macro level, conflict resolution is more than just point solutions. It’s about building a culture of trust that can help you better address issues when they arise. If employees can have a better understanding of each other, feel connected to each other, and trust each other, they will be more likely to approach conflict in an empathetic and understanding way. Building a culture at work through in-person events can build that foundation to encourage teams to work together better and find ways to empathize with their coworkers.
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. 🙂
I think we all hear it too often, and unfortunately as we become more isolated in online echo chambers we start to believe it, “The country (world) is more divided than ever”, but when we gather together in person that doesn’t feel true at all. Over my entire career I have seen people from all different backgrounds, ethnicities, countries, etc. work together and share amazing experiences that strengthen their relationships and businesses. My movement is to continue to bring people together to accomplish difficult and meaningful goals and realize through shared success that it is our differences that make us stronger as a group.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Please visit us at Gogather.com, follow me on LinkedIn, or connect with GoGather on LinkedIn.
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Eric L. Pines is a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. He represents federal employees and acts as in-house counsel for over fifty thousand federal employees through his work as a federal employee labor union representative. A formal federal employee himself, Mr. Pines began his federal employment law career as in-house counsel for AFGE Local 1923 which is in Social Security Administration’s headquarters and is the largest federal union local in the world. He presently serves as AFGE 1923’s Chief Counsel as well as in-house counsel for all FEMA bargaining unit employees and numerous Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs unions.
While he and his firm specialize in representing federal employees from all federal agencies and in reference to virtually all federal employee matters, his firm has placed special attention on representing Veteran Affairs doctors and nurses hired under the authority of Title. He and his firm have a particular passion in representing disabled federal employees with their requests for medical and religious reasonable accommodations when those accommodations are warranted under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (ADA). He also represents them with their requests for Federal Employee Disability Retirement (OPM) when an accommodation would not be possible.
Mr. Pines has also served as a mediator for numerous federal agencies including serving a year as the Library of Congress’ in-house EEO Mediator. He has also served as an expert witness in federal court for federal employee matters. He has also worked as an EEO technical writer drafting hundreds of Final Agency Decisions for the federal sector.
Mr. Pines’ firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has offices in Baltimore, Maryland and Atlanta, Georgia. His first passion is his wife and five children. He plays classical and rock guitar and enjoys playing ice hockey, running, and biking. Please visit his websites at www.pinesfederal.com and www.toughinjurylawyers.com. He can also be reached at eric@pinesfederal.com.
Workplace Conflict Resolution: Brian Kellerman Of GoGather On How Team Leaders Can Create The Right… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.