Those who do not like to have conflicts, who avoid them, reject them or pretend that they do not exist tend to think that they contribute to maintaining a climate of peace. Yes and no.
The disadvantage of letting go of conflicts (too much), of not having this difficult conversation, is the accumulation of frustrations, demotivation, as well as an intensification of the problem. Indeed, after a while, the source of the conflict becomes less clear. This clouds judgment, and sometimes unconsciously, causes resentment and animosity.
My advice : When possible, approach the person or people involved in the conflict from the beginning, before the situation becomes excessive, latent or uncomfortable.
How do you have conflicts constructively?
First, being effective in conflict resolution means trusting that the process will be constructive and a positive learning experience.
If conflict is seen as a destructive force, a waste of time, or a wound that needs to be gotten rid of as soon as possible, it can be very difficult to remain optimistic about the outcome… Isn’t it?
Managing it well, a conflict leads to more performance.
If you’ve ever done a personality profile like the Nova profile , you know exactly what your preferred way of dealing with conflict is.
High-performing team = team with constructive conflict
Did you know that at the foundation of high-performance teams is the ability to have constructive conflicts?
Here’s why:
The Value of Constructive Conflict
First, constructive conflict allows the individual and the group to raise problems that would have been ignored and to bring to light new possibilities.
1. Promote change and adaptation of the organization
Conflict draws attention to certain issues that can interfere with work and frustrate employees. They therefore allow you to review procedures, tasks and group responsibilities together. This will lead to the creation of a more functional organization.
2. Increase productivity
Having conflicts helps reduce wasted time, energy, and money. Your search for constructive solutions will have a positive impact on you, others and your business. Failure to resolve or avoid conflict can have the impact of distancing team members and this usually has a negative impact.
3. Make members of the organization more sensitive to the existence of certain problems
Thus, if there was no discussion, the team might not realize that there was a problem. Knowing that other people are frustrated, want change helps catalyze solutions. The unspoken only adds to the system.
4. Foster personal, team and organizational development
In conflict, people become aware of what shocks them, what frustrates them, what frightens them, and discovers the workplaces they are looking for. Having conflicts is also a great springboard to progress, individually and collectively.
5. Strengthen interpersonal relationships
Finally, knowing what makes your colleagues unhappy helps you understand them better. For leaders, this is a great opportunity to realize how much their leadership style can affect their subordinates.
If you are not yet convinced that you have conflicts, here are the disadvantages if you are not…
Destructive conflict undermines the effectiveness of a group because it reduces member performance and satisfaction. It can come from a personal incompatibility, an informational deficiency or a role-individual mismatch.
1. Consume resources
Conflicts that persist can result in the loss of energy that will be lost and will not be used to resolve the problem.
2. Request compliance
Out of conformism and conservatism, the most popular decision prevails over the most effective.
3. Create mistrust
By bringing mistrust, conflict brings emotionality, distortion and bitterness that prevent good decisions from being made.
4. Shift the focus of the lenses
A goal that leads two managers to produce the best budget would turn into a competition to demonstrate the incompetence of the other.
Coach’s question
- What are your current conflicts? Your conflicts can take the form of discomfort, difficult situations that are not managed or that you see coming!
- What will be your next action in connection with this conflict?
- What will be the advantage of this action?
- What motivates you to do this action?
- What tool would you need to do this action?
You’re not the only one who needs to resolve conflicts or difficult situations!
Download your free guide to having difficult conversations and constructive conflicts! It’s on the guide page to download.
How much longer will you wait to resolve your situation? 😉
