Many people fret conflict, and some even work actively to avoid it.  While contrary to what many of us learned as youngsters (“don’t fight”, “don’t talk back”, “don’t cause problems”…) Conflict is normal and conflict is healthy at home and equally in business. In fact, unless there is healthy conflict in your organization and in your business relationships, you are missing business growth opportunities and “leaving money on the table”.

Conflict is a misunderstood concept. People still believe conflict is destructive, can harm relationships and can cause schisms in the organization. They further believe that harmony in executive and management meetings is the sign of team alignment. It is not. It is impossible for talented executives and managers not to have strong opinions and not to have a different perspective on market and organizational conditions and how to address them.  If they don’t have strong opinions, they do not belong at the table. If they don’t express their strong opinions, they are not leaders. And no organization can function effectively with executives and managers who do not have strong opinions nor have the will to express them, though in a manner that can be received. It is the ”manner” in which conflict is expressed and addressed that will make it destructive or additive.

In the absence of healthy conflict:

• Bad ideas go unchallenged
• Silence is interpreted as agreement (“artificial harmony”)
• Team members develop different perspectives and ideas about the future of the business – and don’t share them with their colleagues, and personal agenda’s start and drive from this point
• Performance problems are overlooked or not discussed so as not to challenge, offend or step on toes
• Employees lose confidence because they are unsure of the direction of the company, and question if their management really cares about them as likely, their ideas and concerns will not be heard, hence, not addressed

Overstated? No.

Competing and growing in this economy is challenging for many companies. There is no need to further hamper organizational development by not encouraging and expecting open, honest, respectful, vibrant – and healthy – conflict.

In our Quick Tips we will present ideas and suggestions on how to promote healthy conflict in your organization.

Copyright 2010 Kubica and LaForest

This entry was posted on Monday, October 18th, 2010 at 4:41 am and is filed under Culture Building: Creating a Talent Gravity Organization, Leadership, Management & Management Transitions, Professional Growth & Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.