Keynote/TEDx Speaker, CEO of Qualigence International, entrepreneur and investor. Helping companies identify, select and develop talent.
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We usually think of team conflict as a bad thing. But is it always?
I recently spent time with an organization that was struggling with higher-than-expected turnover. They told me they didn’t know what the problem was. They made it a point to talk about how nice and respectful the entire team was to each other. In fact, they indicated that the team never argued or disagreed with one another.
To the casual observer or candidate this probably sounds fantastic... but in reality, it's one of the worst things that can happen at your workplace. This team, like many other "nice" organizations, was suffering from what I call "artificial harmony." Let’s talk about why it’s so harmful—and what leaders and HR can actually do about it.
Artificial harmony is killing organizations.
Teams thrive when team members feel comfortable making their voices heard. If they’re afraid to disagree, people will usually keep their thoughts to themselves, which only breeds resentment and frustration. We have to remember that respectfully disagreeing and holding conflicting views is actually a good thing.
Defending our views and challenging others allows us to refine our plans and ideas. It helps us identify any knowledge gaps and make sure we really have the best plan or idea in place. Healthy conflict increases the number of ideas on the table, which is vital for innovation. Sometimes, the best ideas are born out of combining two very different perspectives.
We lose these benefits—and actually hurt our teams—when people are afraid to share their honest opinions.
Ask questions to bring silent conflict to the surface.
If you pay attention while someone is talking, you can often spot signs that someone listening silently disagrees. Maybe they frown or fidget when hearing a plan or idea. Or maybe they voice little to no feedback—because they don’t know how to express an unpopular opinion.
Whenever you get the sense that people have differing opinions but aren’t sharing them, invite them to share their honest thoughts. Sometimes, this is as simple as encouraging the quietest person in the room to speak up. You need to emphasize that you want to hear all perspectives and views.
Not only does this make your team feel valued and respected, but it can lead to discussions where you'll find your best ideas. Additionally, this allows you to deal with conflict directly, rather than letting it spill over to the water cooler where gossip starts.
Interrupt passionate debate to encourage healthy disagreement.
We’ve all been there: We’re part of a meeting and two (or more) people are getting extremely passionate about their positions. It can be awkward or even uncomfortable. But as a leader, you have to remember the value in what you’re seeing.
First, this means you have team members who are very passionate about their work. Second, this means you have people who are willing to put ideas on the table—and fight for them. A lot of teams suffer from the opposite problem. Their team members show up and do the work but never pose any suggestions or ideas on how to improve.
When this happens, interrupt the conversation and reinforce that you need people who are passionate and hold differing perspectives. Remind everyone that that’s a good thing—but emphasize that the conversation should stay civil and respectful, and result in all perspectives being heard.
Embrace healthy conflict.
I get it. Conflict can be scary. But it’s also a vital part of a healthy, thriving, creative workplace—if we do it right!
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