What skills do you need to manage opposing viewpoints in decision-making?

Ask each opposing side to take the others’ viewpoints. Ask them to think about the challenges the other side faces. Then ask each side to share their feedback and adjustments they would make to support one another.

It’s not just about listening to clarify or summarize - it’s also about listening with the intention of finding the win-win for all parties involved. What does each side want and how can you help facilitate an outcome that has both sides feeling great about the next steps?

Listening can also be a test of your empathy level. Here are points to note. Listen actively. This means paying attention to the speaker's words, body language, and tone of voice. Ask clarifying questions. This shows that you are listening and that you want to understand what the speaker is saying. It also helps you to get more information and to avoid misunderstandings. Be patient. Everyone communicates at their own pace. Don't judge. Everyone has different experiences and perspectives. Try to be open-minded and avoid judging the speaker. Listen for emotions. People often communicate their emotions through their words and body language. Pay attention to these cues to get a better understanding of how the speaker is feeling.

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about a problem or issue. It involves gathering information, evaluating evidence, and forming an opinion based on sound reasoning. It involves observation, analysis, inference, and problem solving. Steps include: Identify the problem or issue. What is the main problem that needs to be solved? Gather information. What information is relevant to the problem? Evaluate the information. Is the information accurate and reliable? Form an opinion. What is your conclusion based on the information you have gathered? Identify possible solutions. What are the possible solutions to the problem? Evaluate & Implement the solutions.

Prioritize Two-Way Communication. Effective communication in the workplace involves speaking, active listening and feedback. Both parties need to understand each other. Also you communicate as clearly as possible in a respectful and concise manner. Also understand your audience to know the level of technical terms you can use.

Let's put conflict recognition above this one. To resolve conflicts is one thing, and its significance can't be discounted. But early recognition of the recipes for conflict and skillful maneuvering of discussions are even more crucial. A conflict can arise from between individuals trying to arrive at the number 2. Be the one that can quickly identify and leverage the view points between 1+1 and 4 - 2.

Conflict resolution can be defined as the informal or formal process that two or more parties leverage to find a peaceful solution to dispute/disagreement. You can apply the 3 Cs of conflict resolutions. The 3 C's of Conflict Management are: Capitulation, Compromise, Collaboration.

Leadership needs Cognitive agility & Systems Thinking - the ability to vary our thought process on demand and on context - the ability to holding 2 opposing view points and being comfortable with it - synthesising the best alternative from all view points - Allowing emergence instead of set thought patterns Consciously developing these will help you to get the best out your teams.

While its always desirable to be able to keep everyone in line, sometimes, you actually need a detractor to sharpen the accuracy of outputs. One way to counter groupthink is to appoint a strategic dissenter, also known as a devil's advocate. This person is tasked with challenging the group's assumptions and conclusions, even if it means going against the grain. Research shows that empowering at least one person with the right to challenge the team's decision-making process can lead to significant improvements in decision quality and outcomes. For larger groups with seven or more members, it is important to appoint at least two strategic dissenters to ensure that a single dissenter is not isolated or seen as a troublemaker.

I've written at some length on group decision-making. The process you follow for decision-making determines whether conflict is constructive (leading to creative solutions) or destructive (leading to frustration and resentment). Ensure that the right people are the Deciders, and that someone driving the decision (not necessarily you) prepares and summarises main options in advance. When it comes to make the choice, avoid the trap of open discussion! Instead, keep the conversation semi-structured and respectful of the Deciders.