January 07, 2014
Management Tip on Conflict Management ( not resolution ! )
Embrace Constructive Conflict !
Finding the right balance between the NEED to deal with conflict and the INSTINCT to avoid it is one of the toughest challenges that managers face !
While unbridled conflict can create a toxic atmosphere, insufficient conflict can be just as damaging !
Creative ideas and better ways of getting things done – which help organizations advance – often stem from constructive conflict !
How to create it and manage it ?
Encourage constructive conflict by reinforcing the notion that
people can DISAGREE about (a) ideas and strategies, (b) practices and processes, but still RESPECT and like each other !
It’s not personal, it’s business !
Rather than leaving it to chance, schedule time with your team to question norms and change the way things are done. If someone pushes back or raises an uncomfortable question in a meeting, back them up rather than shutting them down. If possible, make those moments TEACHABLE and encourage others to do the same !
Adapted from “Nice Managers Embrace Conflict, Too” by Ron Ashkenas and Lisa Bodell.
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