Conflict

Findings from a 2013 Executive Coaching Survey (Stanford University) identified conflict management skills as the leadership skill CEO’s most feel they need to improve. 

During the last 6 months, as part of offering leaders from organisations of all sizes an introductory two hour session exploring The Arbinger Institute's core ideas and principles, they were introduced to a powerful conflict methodology.

After applying this methodology to conflict situations they were involved in, these leaders pondered the consequences of the conflict as well as the cost to their respective organisations, their colleagues as well as themselves. I invited these leaders to quantify the annualised potential cost of these conflicts - taking into account direct costs, indirect costs, opportunity costs, emotional costs, cultural costs and so on.

Here are some examples of what these leaders came to realise:

One group of leaders calculated that their individual conflict situations amount to approximately R350 Million ($23M) per year, while another leader realised that the main consequence of his conflict threatens the very existence of his organisation!

Yet another team identified increased absenteeism, lack of agility, slow feedback, low motivation, ignorance and lack of collaboration as consequences of their conflict situations, estimating the total associated cost at R1,7 Million ($114k) annually.

In a different organisation, the executive team calculated the annual cost of their conflict situations amounting to R30 Million ($2M) and listed the following negative consequences: low -team morale, staff engagement, personal energy, quality of relationships, integrity and opportunity to connect.

If as a business leader, you consider the economic pressure almost every South African (and probably global) organisation is facing, what would it mean to you and your company to avoid the aforementioned type of losses, or even just reduce them by 10-20%?

The good news is, there is a unique and highly effective way of making this a reality, and we would love to show you how.