Embracing healthy conflict can benefit organisations
โWhen team members trust each other and know that everyone is capable of admitting when they're wrong, then conflict becomes nothing more than the pursuit of truth or the best possible answer.โ โ Patrick Lencioni
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๐ปโโ๏ธBecause of a deep-rooted fear of upsetting others, Iโve always avoided conflict. Through the years, my misguided belief that conflict avoidance was a healthy way of dealing with problems caused me and my relationships - both personal and professional - to unnecessarily suffer.
I came to the realisation of the need to engage in healthy conflict relatively late in my career. I learned that conflict is actually important to drive a deeper understanding of our differences so that both parties can leverage on our diversity to create synergy. But this can only be achieved in a trusting environment.
๐ก In his best-selling book, โThe Five Dysfunctions of a Teamโ, author Patrick Lencioni says that an absence of trust is the most fundamental dysfunction of any team. Without trust, team members spend time and energy protecting themselves or undermining each other, instead of focusing on the work and goals of the team.
Positive conflict is a catalyst for innovation, creativity and improved relationships. Conflicts beats stagnation because organisations that avoid conflict, avoid change.
In the face of conflict, consider these steps:
๐ง ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐ญ: Rather than fearing conflict, let's first change our mindset that our differences are not roadblocks but building blocks.
๐๐ป๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ : Listen not just to respond but to comprehend.
๐ฃ๏ธ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐: Differences of opinion are inevitable, but the manner in which we express them can shape collaborative outcomes.
๐ซฑ๐ปโ๐ซฒ๐พ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐: Even in the most diverse teams, common ground exists.
Even if it can be uncomfortable, each disagreement is a chance to learn more about others and, in turn, about ourselves. When we embrace healthy conflict, it is an opportunity to spark a creative synergy that can propel teams and organisations to new heights.