Conflict

By Bob Lanza

There is one truth that I accept as absolute in the staffing industry, that is; “the amount of conflict you
are willing to take on will determine the amount of income you will earn.”

Conflict in the staffing industry presents itself in many forms, such as:

1. When client’s expectations are not in line with the labor market.

2. Candidates are pushing back on a very competitive job offer.

3. Clients challenge your rates and fees.

4. When staffing sales professionals raise concerns about recruiters not providing quality submissions
on open job orders.

5. When recruiters raise concerns with sales professionals that are not providing quality job
descriptions, as well as lack of feedback on their candidate submissions.

Being able to accept and control our emotions during times of conflict is an attribute that is not easy
to learn. It takes several years of experience, and some maturity, to become comfortable with conflict.
There is a large emotional process that battles within each of us. Some of us, no matter how hard we
try, will avoid putting ourselves in any state of conflict.

Certain professions have “conflict” as the main bullet point in the job description. If one was to write
up the job description for the President of the United States, the very first bullet point would be the
ability to navigate conflict from the moment you wake up, to the moment when you finally go to bed.
Even then, conflict can wake you at any given moment. No matter how popular the President may be,
50% of the population will hate them.

Business leaders and managers also deal with a high level of conflict. Sales Managers are presented
with a daily stream of conflict. It comes to them via e-mail, telephone or face to face. I have reframed
my mind to see these examples of conflict as coachable moments with staff; though I have to admit,
often I learn as much from the conflict as my staff does. The staff members that have entrusted
themselves in you may believe that you know it all and that you have many, if not all, of the answers to
the conflicts they face. They search for the words that will make it all go away. Deep down inside you
live with the same doubts and worries. Experience just teaches one to hide it better.

We know conflict does not limit itself to the workplace. It rears its ugly head throughout our daily
lives, leaving emotional scars that cannot be repaired with an ointment or prescription. I observed,
while making the best attempt to raise my children, that parents would often navigate the conflicts that
their children would face, whether it be with friends or in school or even while participating in
extracurricular activities. It is natural for a parent to want to protect a child from the conflicts that can
cause them physical or emotional scars. It was not that long ago that children dealt with these
situations on their own. They handled conflict with their friends in the fields and on the playgrounds. If
they did not get the part in the school play or if they were unable to make the team, they worked
through it in their own time and minds. They determined whether or not they would fight or flee, never
knowing what was “right” or “wrong” – only how it made them feel.

Conflict is unavoidable and hard to deal with. Some people find it difficult to leave their homes
because the fear of conflict grows so strong within them. In my opinion, a crazy person is someone who
absolutely thrives on conflict and loves it.

We need to accept that conflict is unavoidable, and that the quality of your career and life, will
improve proportionally. Conflict comes without notice and never when you are totally prepared for it.

In our staffing lives, we must approach clients and candidates with the understanding that they will
challenge us. Prepare yourself for the conflict. Script out the response to the conflicts that make you
toss and turn at night. Rehearse them by yourself or with someone. Don’t be afraid to even ask your
manager if you can work through this with them. Managers are not as resilient as you think - we toss
and turn about the same things!