Why real collaboration needs a little conflict

Many believe that the opposite of conflict is collaboration, but this is not true. The opposite of conflict is conformity. Conformity is the stuff that stifles organisational creativity and growth.

Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg talks of “CEO syndrome”, that is, the higher up the leader, the increased tendency for people to avoid questioning or challenging you because of your authority. Thus, leaders do not have the opportunity to harvest the great ideas dormant in their organisations, resulting in a myopic vision, diminished decision making and low levels of innovation.

To truly get the best from your people, you have to allow them room to give their best, which means encouraging a collaborative environment in which healthy debate can thrive.

Fear of conflict

All great relationships require a bit of friction to grow and prosper. Patrick Lencioni, acclaimed authority in teamwork, argues that teams can’t commit until they overcome their fear of conflict. Teams that fear conflict create wasteful environments of division, hidden agendas and silos. They fail to innovate and realise their full potential.

To encourage genuine collaboration – that is, people working productively together toward a common goal – leaders need to accept that healthy conflict is a welcome and necessary ingredient. Embracing healthy debate fosters awareness that a problem exists and needs addressing, challenging stale assumptions and leading to positive change.

In such a workplace people are happy to share, happy to listen, happy to learn from others and manage their emotions appropriately. Conflict
offers opportunity to learn and grow.

Not all conflict is the same

Of course, some types of conflict can be truly dysfunctional and it is important to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy conflict. Healthy conflict focuses on the facts and ideas and learning. There is no room for personality or blame, resulting in open, respectful debate and quick problem resolution. The emphasis is on the solution, not the problem. Conversely, unhealthy conflict facilitates resentment and division by focusing on personality and self-interest. It festers, creating division and a costly draining of resources, including high levels
of disengagement, absenteeism and turnover.

The trick for leaders is to encourage healthy conflict whilst discouraging unhealthy conflict.

In a 2013 survey by Stanford University and The Miles Group, chief executive officers reported that the skill they most wanted to develop was conflict resolution. Thus it seems that conflict is something with which many of us are uncomfortable, yet cannot avoid. So here are some tips for you on how to create a truly collaborative environment by encouraging and managing healthy conflict.

Ride the wave of conflict

Conflict is inescapable. In life, at work, at play. However, in and of itself conflict is neither good nor bad. It is how you lead and facilitate it that
makes all the difference.

Leaders who nurture healthy debate also champion a rich culture of respect, teamwork and results. They lead innovative organisations that dare to challenge the status quo.

In the end, it’s all about driving business growth, which you cannot achieve without building a one-team culture while ruffling a few feathers along the way.

As the US artist, sculptor and educator Maya Lin says: “To fly, we have to have resistance”.

 

Tips for creating and managing healthy conflict Lead by example This is true of good leadership in general, but specifically true when managing conflict. Leaders who surround themselves with “yes people” are modelling a fear of opposition. A fear of being challenged. Consensus does not mean collaboration and often means disengagement, as employees are uncomfortable putting forward their ideas. Many people go along with the group regardless of what they themselves think as individuals. Group-think prevails, facilitating a bleak environment, devoid of insight and creativity. Surround yourself with diversity in all its manifestations and take advantage of the ingenuity latent within. Create a common language Your teams need to know what is acceptable and what is not, in clear, unambiguous language. They also require clarity around the processes and policies created to deal with conflict fairly, expediently and cost-effectively. Such processes should apply uniformly and transparently in your organisation, without prejudice. Create common goals As Steve Jobs once said, “It’s okay to spend a lot of time arguing about which route to take to San Francisco when everyone wants to end up there, but a lot of time gets wasted … if one person wants to go to San Fran and another secretly wants to go to San Diego”. Many studies of group decision making and intergroup dynamics demonstrate that common goals build team cohesion, by emphasising the shared interests of team members in team outcomes. Thus team members are less likely to see themselves as individual winners or losers, minimising the likelihood of a culture of blame and destructive competition. By unifying your teams with a solid foundation of a common language, common norms and common goals, you are harnessing the power of one team. The whole becomes far greater than the sum of its parts. Build the capability for collaborative problem solving Collaborative problem solving taps the wisdom of the team. Not surprisingly, teams are more committed to the solution and the outcome. It involves defining the problem, brainstorming novel possible solutions and selecting a win–win solution. A detailed execution plan is then developed, monitored and assessed. Collaborative problem solving can be learnt. It includes the appropriate use of inquiry and advocacy, dialogue and debate, co-operation and teamwork. It requires listening skills, assertion skills and dispute resolution skills, and is an essential element of any harmonious, engaged and productive work environment. Use humour Many studies have shown that teams that have fun have low levels of interpersonal conflict. Humour helps people distance themselves psychologically from the stress of everyday life, by creating a sense of perspective. It can move decision making into a collaborative rather than competitive place through its positive effect on mood and attitude. Research demonstrates that those in a good mood tend to be not only more optimistic, but also more forgiving of others and more creative in seeking solutions. They tend to relax their defensive barriers as well and listen more effectively. So give yourself licence to have a bit of fun!