Stop Babying your People — Conflict ‘Grows’ Leaders!
Conflict (at work & at home) will ‘grow’ great leaders, IF you handle it this way.
“Conflict is inevitable in life; how you deal with it as a leader determines if you ‘grow’ leaders or pawns.” — Paul Grau, Jr.
If you don’t love conflict, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, no matter what position you have, conflict will rear its head with a vengeance, and we must be ready to deal with it. Leaders can handle conflict in a way that ‘grows’ future leaders (at work and at home).
Over the years I have found one way that enables people to deal with conflict better than any other way. It sounds easy, but quite frankly, it can be very difficult. However, the rewards are worth the initial efforts.
The best way to handle conflict that develops future leaders is to let them argue. This may sound easy, but when you truly care about your people (as all great leaders should), it can be very difficult not to jump in and help them resolve their conflict. Taking a ‘back seat’ to let them resolve their conflict on their own can be painful for many leaders. Our natural instincts as leaders often kick in and tell us to Run To The Challenge in order to resolve it quickly.
However, continuously jumping in and ‘helping them’ hurts them over time, as you are not developing their leadership skills.
Avoid getting directly involved and resolving their conflict for them. Let your people (and/or children) work it out and learn how to deal with various types of conflict that will continually surface throughout their lifetime.
Observe from a safe distance and monitor the situation as needed; you can even assure them you are available to help if they need it, but encourage them to work through it by themselves.
One of the worst things you can do is continually jump in and resolve their conflict for them. Conflict is inevitable in life; how you deal with it as a leader determines if you grow leaders or pawns. I challenge you to Grow Leaders! Develop their leadership skills by allowing them to deal with their co-workers (and/or siblings and friends) on their own.
This method can begin at home at an early age. If you are a parent, be cautious about jumping in too soon to resolve conflict. This may apply with siblings arguing or conflict at their first job with co-workers or a boss. Stop trying to ‘fix’ their conflict. The best way for you to ‘help’ them is by guiding them and giving them sound advice, but stop babying them!
Letting your people (kids) handle conflict by themselves allows them to build confidence and trust when facing difficult situations; you develop their team-building skills; you allow them to ‘grow.’
Most importantly, you allow your people to stand on their own when you aren’t around. That’s what leaders do… we continuously ‘grow’ future leaders to face difficulties head-on!
“Run to Your Challenges… to Achieve Greatness & Stand Out Among Leaders!”
For more Leadership blogs, training, and coaching visit RunToYourChallenges.com
Have Paul speak at your organization by contacting him directly at PaulGrau@CurrentLeadershipCoaching.com
Originally published at www.currentleadershipcoaching.com
