Organizations that harness the power of productive conflict create a culture where individuals trust and respect each other, both personally and professionally. These organizations consistently outperform those that don’t. Teams and individuals in such environments value organizational goals over personal objectives.
Productive Conflict Involves:
Questioning, not Arguing
Understanding, not Judging
Inclusion, not Exclusion
Creating a culture that embraces productive conflict begins with leaders who encourage team members at all levels to challenge the status quo. Conflict becomes a necessary catalyst for growth and innovation, helping individuals and organizations develop creative solutions. Engaging in productive conflict pushes people to logically support their positions.
Indications of a Productive Conflict Environment:
Team members are passionate and open during discussions.
Critical and challenging issues are addressed and resolved collectively.
Team meetings are compelling and engaging.
Fostering a culture of productive conflict starts with caring. Understanding your teammates' backgrounds and personal lives builds this foundation. What do you know about your teammates' goals and dreams? Who are they outside of work? In some organizations, supervisors know the names, families, and backgrounds of their direct reports, helping them connect on a deeper level.
Knowing your teammates' unique tendencies and preferences is also vital, requiring an understanding of Emotional Intelligence. We use the DISC model to help clients understand these behavioral tendencies:
Some thrive on conflict but fear losing; they need to recognize that productive conflict isn't about winning.
Others are outgoing, people-oriented, and fear rejection; they must understand that making everyone happy isn't always possible.
A supportive group may resist conflict; they need reassurance that their perspective matters and disagreement doesn't mean disrespect.
Analytical individuals may fear being wrong; they must realize that experimentation and struggle are part of finding the best solutions.
Leaders play a crucial role in promoting healthy conflict, ensuring discussions remain productive and not personal. When individuals cannot contribute, it hampers their ability to commit to decisions.
In Trey Gowdys’ book It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask, he emphasizes the power of persuasion. When Individuals have two completely different perspectives or approaches is it not likely you will change their mind completely, but professional dialogue can bring people closer together. This persuasion isn’t about winning; it’s about connection and a search for the best possible solution.
Up to this point, I intentionally avoided using the word “debate”:
Debate is a science, favoring the best talker.
Persuasion is an art, benefiting the best listener.
Trey highlights the importance of listening with presence: genuinely trying to understand others' thoughts, feelings, and perspectives.
Most organizations avoid conflict, fearing it might hurt feelings. But as Patrick Lencioni notes, teams that fear conflict:
Have dull meetings.
Foster environments ripe for behind-the-scenes politics and personal attacks.
Avoid controversial issues critical to success.
Miss out on diverse opinions and perspectives.
Waste time and energy on posturing and risk management.
Productive conflict inspires innovation and enhances the workplace environment. Embrace it as a sign of a caring culture focused on trust, respect, and team success.
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