Are You Using Questions to Prevent Conflicts?

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Sindy: When she criticises your work, you can use questions instead to force her to explain what's behind her objectione. Amy: I think the other piece about questions is it signas collaboration. Id it signals i'm interested in what you have to say. Rit: The challenge with getting defensive in the face of her aggression is it continues to lock you into that dynamic. She has a lot of power over you if she's setting you off with her questions.

Say someone on your team who had previously been friendly turns on you and is now making your life miserable and collaboration nearly impossible. Maybe they won’t respond to your emails or even look you in the eye?

This is the distressing situation that “Cindy,” a listener of Conferences for Women’s Women Amplified podcast, found herself in. Host Celeste Headlee, invited Amy Gallo on to help give Cindy advice as part of the show’s series “That’s a Good Question.” Cindy talks to Celeste and Amy about how she doesn’t even know what’s causing the tension. She can’t get answers from her colleague and doesn’t know how to continue working with someone who’s being so difficult.

The approaches that come out of the conversation are ones that anyone facing tension in a work relationship can use to find a way forward.

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