Make Better Decisions with a ‘Challenge Network’
When we have more information, we make better decisions
I have one particular client, a husband and wife team, who often call me when they’re at odds over a business decision and need me to act as a tie-breaker or objective third party before moving forward.
The conversation usually begins with something like, “We’re having a disagreement, and you’re on speaker.”
Oh, good! What could go wrong?
It wasn’t until I read Adam Grant’s most recent book, Think Again, that I realized I was a part of their informal challenge network.
Grant begins the book by defining two different types of conflict; relationship conflict and task conflict. Relationship conflicts are “personal, emotional clashes that are filled with not just friction but also with animosity.”
On the other hand, task conflicts are “clashes about ideas and opinions,” which, as you might expect, can be a good thing. While relationship conflict is usually damaging to a team’s performance, task conflict has been linked to higher creativity and better decision-making.
When my clients call mid-argument, they’re not mad; they’re just… heated.
