BizQuiz: Can you temper team conflict? (Answer 3c)

3) C-Right.

We can all see where this is going: us vs. them. In the absence of real information and a feeling of control over your job, we all retreat into childish paranoia and cliques.

Don't do that.

If you and your co-workers are splitting along familiar lines-front-desk vs. back-room, veterans vs. newbies, early shift vs. late shift-you need to help heal these rifts, not contribute to them. Co-worker rivalries and conflicts like these are guaranteed to harm patient and client care.

Work with the manager or supervising doctor. If the front desk is fairly slow but the back room is swamped, suggest that receptionists not deluge the back-room team with price-shopping calls and easily answered questions. Don't dump on new team members; help them learn about the culture and open up to their new ideas. And whether you're on the morning shift or the evening shift, communicate with the other shift-suggest a 30-minute overlap to your manager-so you can share information about ongoing care, exam room readiness, and paperwork.

Don't turn to gossip to solve your problems-it won't. Make sure your comments about co-workers to others are factual and productive. Save the venting for your cat or dog at home; they're all ears.

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