Leadership In Action » conflict

Dealing With Conflict Is Not Hard To Do

Christopher Stowell — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:33:48 +0000

Many people associate conflict with negativity, but conflict doesn’t have to be unpleasant; it can even be enjoyable. Conflict when used in a constructive way, can bring forth great outcomes and ideas, often benefiting those who are involved by exposing them to alternative perspectives.

Yesterday, while watching the daily news, I saw a commercial that caught my attention. In order to win over new customers, this organization is using a strategy that I like very much. Their approach is creative, it’s innovative, and was sure their competitors would need to respond to this advertising campaign in some form or fashion to maintain market share.

However, after seeing this advertisement a second time, I came to the realization that this “new” approach is classic conflict avoidance. Take a look at this video clip. Can you see where I’m coming from?

Now, please correct me if I’m totally off base, (I’ll be confident and say I’m not), but don’t the fundamentals of business acumen tell us that competition is good? In a situation like this we should want to create a little constructive conflict, forcing these two companies to battle over our business. If we ask Allstate to “break up” with our existing insurance provider for us because we’re too uncomfortable to handle the situation ourselves, we’ll never know whether the current insurance provider would be able to match the offer, or offer a better deal, ultimately saving use the hassle of switching insurance providers. Come on people. Buck up! Step out of your comfort zone and grow a little! Given this type of situation, the customer has all the power. If you add a little conflict to the mix, these two companies will need to compete for your business, “sweetening the deal,” and offering you greater gains. One company claims that it can “save you serious cash,” but the other company wants to retain business and compete for your business. Keeping a customer is much easier than winning a new one. Two companies knowingly vying for our business puts us in a great position, but if your existing insurance company gets a call from Allstate, “saving you that uncomfortable break-up moment,” your opportunity for beneficial conflict has been lost, and so has your power as a consumer.

Confront conflict head on; avoidance never hurt anybody but you.

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Find A Win-Win Solution On Any Team

Steve Reese — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:37:44 +0000

With companies merge, employees leave one company for another, and new members of the workforce land their first jobs, many individuals are trying to form new teams. Regardless of the situation, most organizations encourage open and candid discussions between staff members among employees throughout the organization. These differences in perspective can elevate teams to a higher level of performance. Differences in opinion and/or outright conflict is natural, and it can be very productive. The key is how to use conflict to our benefit so we can reach these higher levels of performance.

So how does one operate on a conflicted team? We still need to be able to create a win-win solution for the team and the organization. How do we use conflict to our advantage?

1. Acknowledge Conflict
Acknowledging conflict can be uncomfortable, yet once the conflict is recognized and discussed the team will feel a sense of relief. People tend to be more effective when they can agree to work together and find mutually satisfactory solutions to common problems.

2. Gain Common Ground
Is there common ground between the parties involved in the conflict? Put the conflict in perspective based on the team’s goals. If everyone is committed to a common purpose, they should be willing to address any issue that may affect the team’s final outcome.

3. Understand Each Point of View
Gaining an understanding of difference perspectives does not necessarily mean gaining agreement on all sides. Here we must take the time both to understand and be understood as we gain information from all sides.

4. Attack the Issue(s), Not Each Other
Bickering or fighting with someone on the team is an unwanted stress, yet the issue needs to be addressed in order for the team to maximize its potential. The goal is to reach a solution that allows everyone to achieve individual/team goals without violating anyone’s values.

5. Develop an Action Plan
a. The team will outline specific steps that each person on the team will take in order to reach the team’s goal. Each person will be accountable for his/her role in the action plan, and the plan will be written on paper so that each person is aware of his/her responsibilities to the team.

As team members utilizes this five-step process to address issues and conflicts, they will see more win-win situations and the team will increase their levels of productivity.

Does Your Team Fix Broken Processes?

Christopher Stowell — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:19:47 +0000

Working in teams and across functions can often be complex and challenging. If you’re like most teams, you have certain processes that you are supposed to follow (guidelines, operating rules, specific forms to be utilized, etc.) When attending to these, how often do you encounter a process that is broken, doesn’t work, or seems to be pointless? Maybe your organization has processes that work most of the time? The bigger question is what do you do when you encounter troubled processes? How often do you attempt to fix broken processes? Do you ever try to diagnose what could make a process more effective?

To be part of a high performing team, it is important to constantly evaluate processes to determine if they are working, effective, and worthwhile. Effective processes help us to be efficient, reliable for our customers (internal and external), and minimizes the likelihood of a problem occurring.

In 2003, a US Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 crashed at an air show in Idaho. The pilot ejected from his aircraft and aside from the crashed fighter jet, there was no other damage. As unfortunate as this story is, I think it is an excellent example of taking the opportunity to improve processes. Take a look at the video from both inside and outside the cock pit.

After investigating the crash, it was determined that the pilot had incorrectly calculated his altitude as if he were at Nellis Air Force Base (where the Thunderbirds are stationed). The investigation board looking into the crash determined that “other factors” such as the pilots need to calculate MSL (Mean Sea Level) altitude to the AGL (Above Ground Level) altitude contributed to the errors resulting in the crash.

As a result of the pilots error and “other factors,” the Air Force determined that the processes around the calculation of altitude and “Split S” exercise needed to be fixed. And fix they did. Thunderbird pilots must now call out the MSL altitude at air shows. When they execute the Split S maneuver, they must climb an additional 1,000 feet to prevent and minimize the danger of altitude miscalculation from occurring again.

While the pilot only suffered minor injuries and a $20 million aircraft was lost, an improvement in a process was gained. While we may never know the future value or full impact in improving processes, it helps take a high performing team to the next level. Call it Continuous Process Improvement.

Suggested Tip:

Next time a process, action, or project in your team doesn’t go quite as planned, don’t be complacent. You don’t have to be the team leader seeking to improve team development. Step up as a team member and ask the following questions:

What went wrong?
Why did it go wrong?
Is it a problem or one time goof?
How can we prevent this from happening again?

Maybe there is nothing needs to be done after your analysis, but at least you’ve asked the questions to be sure.

The Decorator Crab – Do You Blend in or Stand Out at Work? Part 1

Cherissa Newton — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:00:38 +0000

The Decorator Crab is found in various parts of the ocean, and has a lot to teach us about the way the workplace can affect performance. As all living things have predators of sorts, the Decorator Crab survives and avoids its predators by camouflaging or blending into its environment. This crab will collect items found in its habitat, such as corals, anemones, sponges, and various algae, and attach them to their shell using a hook appendage. Their collection will eventually grow attached and permanently change the look of the crab. When I began thinking about how this species relates to the workplace, I had two totally separate insights that I think are valuable lessons. As such, this blog will be presented in Part One: Finding a Positive Work Environment, and Part Two: Standing Out at Work.

Part One: Finding a Positive Work Environment

After reading a book called The No Asshole Rule, it was plain to see some parallel concepts being presented and the Decorator Crab. The No Asshole Rule suggests that if you work in an environment full of caustic, lazy, or negative peers, you will inevitable, and without intentions, adopt those traits yourself. I imagine there have been many a crab who have chosen to put items from the sea floor on their shell that they don’t particularly want to be a part of them or think will be a positive addition to their appearance. Similarly, I’ve seen firsthand, both for myself and for others, bad habits developed and undesirable characteristics acquired. These new traits are often permanent or hard to be rid of and will stay with an individual as they move from one workplace to another. As a person adds various negatives from their workplace, it becomes even more difficult to be accepted and wanted in a new environment. This insight led me to the conclusion that we should all take a close look at our work environment to understand if it is adding to our “shell” in a positive way, and what we as individuals are contributing to the environment.

Understanding Communication In A Fast Moving World

Cherissa Newton — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:40:42 +0000

OMG, RU GOING CRAZY = Oh My Goodness, Are You Going Crazy!
Can you read the above line? If you can’t, it is because technological communication is rapidly changing into encrypted messages like this, which is an unfamiliar form of communication for you! Emails, instant messaging, and text messaging are a few of the most common methods of communication these days and face-to-face communication is becoming outdated. While I can see many benefits these communication methods bring both to the social and professional world, my concerns about how it affects our conflict management and relationship building skills is growing nonetheless.

U Need Help = You Need Help
I have a small counseling practice on the side where I focus on helping teenagers navigate through life. During the past few years, I’ve personally seen a rapid decline in many teenager’s everyday social skills. Some of my observations include difficulties addressing conflict, smaller vocabulary, poor non-verbals communication, inability to express emotions through verbal means (outside of the Text Message Shorthand of sideways smiley or frowny faces), and an overall discomfort with spoken conversations. I know what you’re thinking at this point – welcome to working with teenagers! However, I truly believe that this is largely due to a decrease in experience with face-to-face communication, and solely relying on texting, emailing, and instant messaging, where the human interaction is removed.

YUPPIES = Young Urban Professionals
So, how does this affect our up and coming workforce? While the future is looking bright and full of talented and capable young individuals, it is likely these young individuals will struggle with the basic and essential skill of relating and connecting with team members, leaders, subordinates, clients and customers, and vendors. Some organizations may even be seeing the affects of texting and emailing in employees who are in their early twenties.

Getting the 411 Is ^ 2 U = Getting the Information is Up to You
So, what is the solution? One immediate action we can all take is to preserve the art of face-to-face communication in our own realm. Despite the ease of typing a quick instant message to the person in the cubicle behind you, make an effort to send and receive a more accurate and personal message by doing so face-to-face. Take the opportunity to call that vendor and clarify exactly what your department needs, versus hoping it is understood through a series of emails. When you are going to be late to your next meeting, send a quick text letting the administrative assistant know you won’t be on time, but then take the opportunity to apologize in person and use non-verbals to communicate your sincerity.

Another step companies can take to ensure their workforce is full of effective communicators is to increase opportunities for training and development in the area of communication. Training on communication skills is a great opportunity for employees to practice and learn basic and advanced levels of communication. Your employees will be more aligned when they communicate from learning the same concepts and skills taught by qualified facilitators who are trained in adult learning theories.

Help develop communication skills B4 its 2 L8!

Do Your Employees Dial 911? A True Story About Conflict and Problem Solving.

Cherissa Newton — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:44:57 +0000

On March 4th I opened my MSN internet homepage to see an interesting headline in the news section. Woman has 911 meltdown over McNuggets, grabbed my attention and I clicked the link to read more. This feature described a woman who was very upset when she ordered and paid for some Chicken McNuggets at McDonalds, and was then told that the store was out of McNuggets and that she would have to order something else from the menu. The woman apparently had a craving for McNuggets and just wanted a refund. When the cashier told her all sales were final and she had to pick an alternative choice, she apparently panicked and called 911 for assistance. The woman was quoted saying “This is an emergency.” If I would have known they didn’t have McNuggets, I wouldn’t have given my money, and now she wants to give me a McDouble (referring to a sandwich), but I don’t want one.” As you may have guessed, despite calling 911 three times the police didn’t see the situation as one that required their help and left the woman to resolve it herself.

Although this news story seems hilarious and far-fetched, I can relate it to happenings in the workplace. Co-workers often find themselves in the middle of legitimate conflicts and problems. Rather than solving these conflicts and problems themselves, co-workers commonly run to their managers in hopes that they will make everything all better. This occurs for a variety of reasons. Employees may lack the skills to problem solve, they may feel uncomfortable with conflict, or they may lack the confidence to confront issues head on. Like the police, effective leaders don’t come to the rescue. Rather, they arm their employees with the ability to overcome such challenges. Like the police, effective managers have bigger and more important situations to deal with and can’t waste time on situations that can be handled without them. If you are a manager and feel like your employees are constantly dialing 911, you may need to to provide some training or skill development around problem solving, decision making, and conflict management.