how to Approach difficult situations

Overview -

People are different, which means conflicts will happen at some point. Conflicts can be handled in different ways, based on the severity of the issue. Although there is no right or wrong way to deal with these situations, you may find that some ways are more effective than others. To assist in resolving these uncomfortable situations, here are some ideas that others have found useful.

conflicts and how to approach them

If it is a difference in personal opinions, incompatible personalities, among others, you can try to resolve it yourself by communicating with your mentor/mentee to try to find a way to work together.
Sometimes escalating the problem to the PI can cause more strain on the relationship, so try to find a way to resolve your issue by yourself.
However, if the conflict is more serious, such as bullying, disrespect or neglect, the PI should be informed of the issue.
If the PI does not take action, there are other resources both in a departmental and university level:

Dr. Reza Ghiladi (raghilad@ncsu.edu) – Director of the Graduate Program in the Chemistry Department
Dr. Nikki Price ( cnmcmill@ncsu.edu) – Assistant Dean for Culture, Talent and Human Resources in the College of Sciences
Dr. Heather Patisaul (hbpatisa@ncsu.edu) – Associate Dean for Research in the College of Sciences
OMBUDS – Independent, neutral and confidential office at NCSU for conflict management, prevention and resolution: https://ombuds.dasa.ncsu.edu

how to handle personal differences

It is important to not take these differences personally. Instead, if there is something that is bothering you, try addressing it by communicating the issue.
As a mentor, if there is an issue, take a step back and reflect if maybe your mentee needs to be trained better because there was something you missed when training them.
If your personality does not align well with your mentor/mentee, try to maintain a professional relationship by keeping the conversation about science and research.
If more conflicts arise due to these differences, try to communicate with your mentor/mentee before escalating the problem to your PI.

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