8 Tips for Healthy Team Conflict [Part 1]

Conflicts can be destructive or constructive.

As the old saying goes, “If two people always agree, one of them is unnecessary.”

In a previous healthcare executive job, I was a member of a senior leadership team that would disagree about many things . . . which resulted in some really good squabbles.?

Yet, all the while, we were a team that was leading a successful transformation of the culture and results of a previously faltering organization.

Most of our heated debates were confined to our weekly administrative team meeting where strategic decisions affecting the entire organization were made.?

Along the way, the idea came about to invite a middle manager to each of these administrative team meetings. It was a way to have front line leaders engage in - and develop a better understanding of - the processes for this level of decision making in the organization.?

So, in turn, one by one, these leaders joined in our weekly team meetings.?

Boy, were these invited guests initially surprised by the conflicts they witnessed between the various senior leaders in this setting.?

They would witness passionate disagreement and debate.?

Many of these managers remarked about how surprised they were by our behavior with each other.?

In the words of one leader “when left to the privacy of the administrative team meetings, the gloves are donned and the senior leaders duke it out.”?

This team dynamic could be a confusing thing to witness if you didn't understand the depth and strength of our relationships, the respect we truly had for each other, and the goals that bound us together.?

Fortunately, as well as witnessing the squabbles, these managers got to see that we were able to reach an agreement toward a course of action that aligned with our common purpose - our mission, vision, and clearly defined strategic goals.?

However, conflict can be destructive or constructive.? Conflict should not be confused as the opposite of collaboration. In fact, conflict can be very useful in highly collaborative cultures.?

For our team to make these conflicts constructive . . .?

• We had to be steadfast in our commitment to our common purpose, and?
• We had to not make, or take, things personally.?

We can all probably think of situations in which individual team members are fighting for a silo or giving in to a bad decision or course of direction just to avoid conflict.?

Conflict avoidance, apathy, railroading, and intimidation aren’t tactics that will serve individuals or organizations in the long run.?

These unhealthy behaviors will be damaging to the team and/or the project. And, if there is a predominant culture of these types of behaviors, it can be what holds an entire organization back from progress, improvements, and achievements.

Needing to shift into more healthy ways of engaging in team conflict??

In our next edition of the Organizational Greatness newsletter, we will expand on 8 Tips for Healthy Team Conflict.?

All the best,

Sue Tetzlaff - Culture and Execution Catalyst

When you strengthen a leadership team, you strengthen an organization.?

One vital component of our work is to support healthcare organizations in adopting a continuous, systematic, and internal approach to senior leadership strengthening and leadership development.?

CONTACT US to explore adopting this proven Framework where you work.?