Front foot conflict and give permission to debate
Sam Harrowfield
There are a few gems out there on how to master healthy conflict.
A reliable place to start is by setting the playing field. That is – Give permission to debate. 👍
Use these tips below to prepare for your next team chat (with a nod to Patrick Lencioni):
🗯 Establish that conflict is welcome and purposeful in the context of your organisation.
🗯 Discuss any reluctance that individuals might feel toward conflict, also acknowledging cultural differences in people’s preferences and expectations around how conflict is handled. This is a biggie. Some of your quietest colleagues have some of the wisest things to say.
🗯 Encourage your team not to hold back from healthy debate:
- As you listen to people discuss issues, consider whether they know that it’s okay to debate with each other and with you and invite people to engage on the topic.
- Interrupt and remind people in the middle of meetings or discussions not to pull back from having healthy arguments when they feel some discomfort. Encourage them to remind each other of this too.
- Work with your team members to find ways that they can disagree with each other and with you that are personally/culturally acceptable to them.
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I’m Sam Harrowfield, and together with my partner Ruth, we draw on the disciplines of organisational and behavioural psychology to provide fit-for-purpose training in human skills that build workplace capability and confidence.
Harrowfield People Development, a strategic learning agency.
