What’s the quality of conflict in your team? Can you voice concerns without fear of retribution? Do you hold back your opinions? Do things seem rosy on the team surface, but underneath it’s a different story?
Here’s the thing: conflict is not comfortable.
Most people don’t want to engage with it.
That’s normal.
But, it is worth creating a team environment where conflict is not avoided—because it can produce gold.
Productive conflict can lead to better ideas.
It necessitates the removal of the invisible elephant in the room.
It can help teams be more productive.
It gets you all the information.
If you don’t have a culture of productive conflict:
Tension can build and burst.
Information is withheld.
Your decisions are less informed.
If you lead a team, you can help create a culture that embraces productive conflict by:
Reminding the group that healthy conflict is okay (particularly in moments when you see it arise)
Noticing and pointing out silent disagreements. Facilitating discussion to get at the root.
Remember, if people don’t voice their opinions, they’ll never truly commit to the team. And, in turn, the team will never really flourish.
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🚀 Ready to create a more open leadership team? Let's work together to build that foundation so the unspoken gets said.
📆 Book a time to discuss how my Inspirational Team Program can enhance trust and communication within your leadership team. You'll find the calendar link in my Featured section.