At the workplace, there are always different opinions, views, suggestions, and solutions from each and every member depending on issues affecting your organisation, or simply what you are working on as a team. To understand this team, compromise is defined as an agreement between two people where each person gives up a coveted want to close the disagreement in the working environment, at least in this context. Diana Nawatti, a counselor and an educator says in every working environment, it requires that every employer or employee has the ability to compromise. She believes that this is an essential quality one needs to have in order to resolve disputes and find solutions on time. She says this also helps people to get along with one another while finding the best possible paths forward for various challenges affecting their working environment. “To be able to work without conflicts people need to compromise, this means each person has to give up part of what he wants so that together they can avoid misunderstandings between them and accomplish their goals as a team,” she says. Edgar Musyoki, a consultant in Kigali says compromising is an essential tool in all aspects of life. He explains that irrespective of where it’s applied, it ensures a peaceful environment thus creating a balanced situation, and most importantly promotes collaboration, especially in any working environment. In addition, he says it also encourages strong relationships among those you are working with. He explains that this demonstrates that one cares or minds about other people’s opinions and concerns as well, thus easier to find ways of supporting each other depending on what is needed at that particular time. When you encourage compromise, Musyoki says it also helps identify agreements that are not favoring each and every member. To back up his sentiments, studies outline that although negotiations play an important role in working toward a common goal or project with other people, compromises can become unhealthy when they undermine personal beliefs and values. However, it’s recommended that a person should not make compromises that undermine your integrity, so having a trustworthy mediator can be important during a difficult negotiation. According to Career trend.com, an online website (go-to-go guide for readers navigating their careers), one of the strengths of compromise as a conflict resolution method is that everyone benefits. The website states that this win-win situation, for employees, lets them walk away with a sense that they were heard. Also, this alone goes a long way towards resolving a situation. In addition, both can save face. That prevents them from harboring resentment that later gets in the way of their ongoing work relationship. Meanwhile, it goes on to identify that for small business owners, compromise offers several advantages. It prompts your staff to talk with each other and develop problem-solving skills. Those skills can be used again as other conflicts arise. It also promotes a culture of tolerance where it’s okay to have more than one idea. And it does so in a transparent way so neither side feels slighted.
