A few days ago, with some classmates, we ran a workshop about friendships in a business context and how conflict can arise. As we demonstrated during the workshop, friends and business goals don’t necessarily match. In fact, you may expect more from your friends in a business context than in the daily life; therefore, conflict might arise. As far as I’m concerned, I believe that friends and business partners should be differentiated. Without a high degree of assertiveness and active listening from both sides, the friendship may not survive against business goals; which is quite sad. An assertive behaviour is promoted when you express your own rights in a cordial manner, without violating the other one’s needs. Active listening can be helpful to gain an assertive behaviour. In fact, by listening actively, you show to your friend that you have understood his/her position. However, resolving conflict with these two techniques can be quite time-consuming and it demand willingness to resolve the conflict from both parties. Are you ready to make this effort? Or are you ready to lose your friends for your business or vice versa? It can be a tricky situation.
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Yes conflicts can arise from everywhere, however, I don't think people should give them much importance. Keeping a friendship shouldn't be a question of effort, especially in the case of business goals. I think that with some common sense, someone is able to both preserve his friendship and meet his business goals. You don't have to choose!
ReplyDeleteJust few words in aproximative english form!
ReplyDeleteI think that relationships beteween 2 persons however they belong to the same family, need change.
We are in a world where we lose rules and our values. At this moment, poeple said it's not their fault but the other's. We can't always say we are note responsible. So, everyone has to be actor of his fate.
Then we can rebuild relationships with friends or coleagues on heathly bases : trust and respect
Your question is very interesting beacause we should not let us influence by our environment of competition. Relashionship would change if we want them change. "Don't do to the other what you don't want tehy do to you". give sens to this sentence!
I agree with you with some points. I think when you work with friends you need to be diplomatic and able to listen, but you also need to have some willingness to make things work. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not ready to loose my friends, but they have to make efforts too. It is preferable to work in harmony instead of being isolated for the sake of your career, because in every field, we need each other in order to progress. But personally, if someone betrays me, everything is going to change and I'm would become very competitive.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for sharing your opinions on that subject. It seems that both part need to be wiling to preserve the frendship in a business/competitive environment. Therefore, two-way communication through an assertive behaviour mixed with active listening might be the receipe.
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