How Smart Bosses Manage Workplace Conflict Without Hurting Company Culture
Here is how team conflict can be managed to be an innovative and creative advantage
By Martin Zwilling
Most business professionals I know will go to great lengths to take a neutral position on internal business conflicts, on the assumption that all conflict is bad for the company as well as their political future.
In my experience, a level of disagreement among key team members is a sign of a healthy organization, allowing it to survive and prosper in this age of multiple disruptive trends.
Of course, any highly emotional and unmanaged conflict can certainly lead to chaos and a dysfunctional organization. Your challenge as a leader is to encourage and reward healthy conflicts, while managing them to productive and innovative results.
To get you started on the right foot, here are the key principles that I see most often working:
1. Make the resolution a part of a larger process.
Before you get too deep into an issue, make sure all parties understand the total process. If people anticipate that a decision will be made arbitrarily, or is totally outside their control, they will not…
