Sports metaphors, where the entire team “pulls in the same direction” are going out. And understanding the significance of psychological safety, where everyone on the team freely express critique without fear of repercussions, is coming in. But there are a few roadblocks. How do you begin stating critique, when you are brought up to believe it is rude? (The expression “brought up” is to be taken literally, these are deeply ingrained patterns).
Avoiding productive conflict holds back the business and hurts team performance. Conflicts are not BAD for life at work – they are a fundamental PART OF life at work.
But we typically seek to stay away from them, friction is unpleasant….
But practice makes perfect, also in terms of dealing with conflict.
This little exercise in conflict management with train the ability to tolerate friction. If practiced regularly, the exercise with strengthen trust and psychological safety.
If you are in a leadership position, you can suggest everyone in your team to join the training, or merely announce that you yourself are looking to improve your conflict management skills through training. To declare this openly shows vulnerability, and adds to team trust in you with a much greater effect than team dinners or (too) personal anecdotes.
The exercise will introduce a low conflict level; just a tiny turning up of the tension. It is, however, not dangerous in any way and you will experience that the tension recedes quickly.
The exercise is quite simple: In a discussion about any topic, where a participant introduces information in support of his/her point of view, ask about the foundation for the information.
For example: a colleague suggests to target your top-10% customers in an online campaign for product x, since this group of clients are more digitally savvy. You ask: what is the foundation for the assumption about digital savviness?
Or: a colleague suggests to measure job satisfaction levels just after the vacation period, since respondents will then look at the measurement with an open mind. You ask: what is the foundation for the assumption about open minds just after vacation?
Or: a colleague belives you should publish your online material in English in addition to Danish, since you will then be able to attract an English-speaking client base. You ask: what is the foundation for the assumption that there is a English-speaking client base relevant for our business to attract?
You see the pattern, right? It is NOT an exercise in killing ideas, but in challenging underlying assumptions. If you ask this type of questions to the data foundation regularly, no one will feel singled out or hunted. And everyone around you becomes better at not automatically accepting presented information.
A small, productive conflict each time.