The Case for More Conflict
There’s a really good chance that you and the other members of your leadership team are not having nearly enough conflict. I get it—the harmony that comes from no one stepping on anyone’s toes feels nice: everyone likes one another, you have fun together, things are running smoothly. And, you probably aren’t nearly as good as you could be as a company. There are tough decisions being made without all the relevant information. There are people who are not feeling (or being) heard. There are people who aren’t bought in on some key decisions.
Not only can conflict be healthy, but it is also necessary and good for business. Done right, conflict allows people to present ideas, facts, and opinions and figure out how to act on them in the company’s best interest.
Healthy Conflict Produces Better Decisions: If the focus is on expediency, harmony, or a ‘stay in your lane’ approach, people may be hesitant to speak up, even if they see a potential pitfall. In a secure team where everyone feels comfortable speaking up, potential issues are more likely to be addressed early and effectively.
Healthy Conflict Leads to More Buy-In: When teams openly debate, the goal shouldn't be to reach consensus; it should be to reach the best answer. When the process plays out in a way that makes each member feel heard, even those who disagree can move forward with commitment.
Healthy Conflict Is A Trust Builder: A foundation of trust is a crucial ingredient to healthy conflict. It’s also a by-product; every time a team respectfully debates a topic, makes a decision, and then supports the action that comes from that decision, they generate more trust. More trust means more and healthier conflict, which leads to more trust, and so on.
It’s also possible that your team is having too much unhealthy conflict. Here are some signs:
We talk and talk without reaching a decision
We have leaders who put what’s best for “their people” above what’s best for the company
The conflict centers on relationships more than it does the tasks required to get things done
There are meetings before and/or after the central meeting to lobby support for an idea or complain about the decision
People attach decisions to an individual rather than to the team: “Bob has decided…” instead of, “We will be…”
In discussions, some or all of the team are politely disengaged until “their area” is discussed
One person consistently talks more than everyone else
One person is particularly skilled at debating, and her ideas are adopted more often than others
So, the challenge for leaders is to encourage more of the right kind of conflict by building trust in the team and establishing some processes that promote healthy conflict. Like most things I promote, this is simple, but not easy. And while it may be hard (even painful) for your team in the early days, it will pay dividends in the long run—with better decisions, more buy-in, and a more trusting team.