Conflict In The Communication Center

In the high-stakes environment of 911 centers, effective communication isn’t just important—it’s critical. Every call, decision, and interaction can mean the difference between life and death. Yet, the fast-paced, ever-changing dynamics in which we must perform often create the conditions for communication breakdown, misunderstandings to happen, and conflict to show up regularly. These moments of tension, if not managed well, can negatively impact team cohesion, job satisfaction, and even public safety.

Why conflict happens often in 911 centers
If it seems like there’s more conflict in your center than anywhere else you’ve experienced, you’re not imagining things. Conflict is particularly prevalent in high-pressure environments like 911 centers. The constant stress, urgency, trauma exposure, and emotional labor of handling emergency calls create a recipe for misunderstandings and disagreements to occur more often.

Factors contributing to conflict include:
• High stress levels: There’s pressure to perform flawlessly under intense conditions. We’re often required to make split-second decisions, which can result in conflicts with colleagues who may have different perspectives or approaches or who may lack information about the situation at hand.
• Diverse personalities: Different communication styles and coping mechanisms can clash, leading to friction. In a 911 center, team members come from various backgrounds and have unique ways of handling stress, which can sometimes lead to assumptions about another’s intent.
• Resource and time constraints such as staffing, training, mental/emotional capacity, or adequate space: In the heat of handling emergencies, limited resources and high demands can create a lack of capacity and opportunity to press pause and have a clarifying conversation when things go sideways. The reality is, many of our centers are short-staffed and even when there is time during your shift to connect, you may not be able to leave your workstation to have a conversation or find a space to talk privately when you need to. Finally, you simply may not have the mental or emotional fortitude to address it some days.

These factors can make it easier to “let it go” and avoid addressing conflict in the moment. However, the cumulative effects of unmanaged conflict can damage relationships and create frustration between team members, and long term it can turn to resentment and mistrust.

Why conflict feels difficult and why we avoid it
Running the other direction from conflict is as natural as wanting to breathe. None of us are born knowing how to navigate it. Instead, we’re programmed to instinctively avoid it. This avoidance mechanism is deeply rooted in our neurology, psychology, and survival instincts. Conflict triggers the amygdala in our brain and enacts a fight, flight, or freeze safety response. In our profession, the amygdala activation is even stronger because we work in an environment where we hear, experience, and must be on alert for threats or danger on our calls every day, reinforcing the notion that there are threats to our safety everywhere.

If that single reason isn’t enough, here are some other reasons we avoid conflict:
• Fear of negative consequences: We worry that addressing conflict can damage relationships, create a loss of respect, lead to retaliation, or bring escalation of the conflict. This fear can be stronger if past conflicts resulted in negative consequences.
• To keep the peace: We value peace and harmony in our personal and professional lives, so we avoid addressing conflict to maintain a calm environment and prevent tension or discomfort among others, especially in the workplace, social, and familial settings. Whose peace are we keeping? Most of the time, it isn’t our own. 
• Lack of confidence or skills: We lack the skills necessary to handle it effectively. This includes a lack of confidence in our ability to communicate our thoughts clearly, manage our emotions, hold our boundaries, or land at a satisfactory outcome.
• Fear of rejection or abandonment: Addressing conflict can trigger fears of rejection or abandonment, especially if the conflict involves people who have power over us or are important to us like our workmates and supervisors, loved ones, close friends, or significant others. We worry that if we raise a contentious issue we might be disliked, lose important relationships, or experience negative or punitive consequences at work—so we don’t.
• Past trauma or negative experiences: Past experiences with conflict, especially if those experiences were traumatic or involved aggression, bullying, or emotional harm, can lead us to avoid conflict in the future. Understandably, we may associate conflict with pain, stress, or fear, leading us to steer clear of any potentially contentious situation.

If you fall into any of these categories, let yourself off the hook and know that it’s not your fault. The good news: You can flip the script on conflict by building skills and confidence; it is possible to navigate conflict with success. 

Conflict as an opportunity for improvement
Rather than seeing it as a barrier, we can embrace conflict as an opportunity for growth. Conflict is a signal that something in our work or relationship isn't functioning optimally. By addressing conflict constructively, we can identify areas for improvement and implement changes that strengthen our relationships, enhance performance, and improve teamwork. 

Building conflict confidence and competence
Let’s take the pressure off ourselves and call it conflict management instead of conflict resolution. Not all conflict can be resolved, but it can be managed. The term “resolution” can put us in a place of overwhelm and over-owning the outcome—believing it’s all somehow our entire responsibility to fix or make things right. It’s not; you’re only one part of the equation.

Through a technique called Brave Conversations, you can address conflict with the confidence and step-by-step points provided to create positive and productive outcomes that empower you and your center to:
• Clear up misunderstandings: In a workplace where information is vital, resolving misunderstandings promptly can prevent errors and improve coordination and relationships.
• Change unwanted behavior: Addressing behaviors that hinder teamwork is vital for maintaining a collaborative work environment and positive culture.
• Improve working relationships: Effective communication enhances team dynamics, fostering trust and respect.
• Manage conflict early: Dealing with issues when they occur prevents them from snowballing into more significant problems.
• Empower a conflict-competent culture: Utilizing Brave Conversations as a norm within the profession can lead to a healthier work environment. 

Time for a reframe with Brave Conversations
The Brave Conversations approach encourages individuals to take responsibility for their contributions to the situation while understanding that they are not responsible for the other person’s reaction or the outcome. The key principles of Brave Conversations include:
• Curiosity over judgment: Approach conflict with an open mind, seeking to understand rather than to blame by asking questions for clarity and being genuinely interested in the other person’s perspective.
• Compassion and boundaries: Balance compassion and empathy while maintaining your boundaries. It’s important to show understanding and kindness while also being clear about your own needs and limits to improve the situation.
• Courage to connect: Take the initiative to address conflict head-on, fostering a connection that can lead to productive outcomes. This requires bravery to initiate difficult conversations and a willingness to engage in open dialogue.

Why Brave Conversations matter

Brave Conversations provides:
• Improved relationships: Addressing conflict directly can lead to better understanding and stronger relationships among team members and enhance collaboration and create a more supportive work environment.
• Increased efficiency: Resolving conflict promptly can prevent misunderstandings and miscommunications, leading to more efficient operations and better service delivery.
• Enhanced well being: The sooner conflict is addressed in an effective manner, where you have the tools and confidence to do it, the sooner you feel better, reduce stress, and experience improvements in overall well being, leading to a more positive work experience.

Conclusion
Understanding why conflict happens, knowing that it’s possible to navigate, and recognizing our natural tendencies to avoid it are the first steps in managing it effectively. 

In the next part of this series, we’ll delve deeper into the Brave Conversations process, exploring steps and techniques to address conflict with curiosity, compassion, and courage so you can navigate conflict with confidence in and out of the communication center. 

Want to get a jumpstart? Download the Brave Conversations guide to learn more.