'Let's agree to disagree': Why Conflict is Necessary at Work

"Teams cannot have effective communication without productive conflict."

The Question: How can conflict lead to positive results at your startup and within your team?

"Let’s just agree to disagree."

How many times have you heard people saying this?

I personally dislike it when people say it because it means they’ve given up.?

They’ve decided that their conflict is unresolvable.

Today we will talk about why managers should embrace conflict at work and how to avoid adverse outcomes. The hack is inside this email!

The Research

Conflict is inevitable in any relationship, whether it be work-related or at home, but that doesn't mean it is not unsolvable.

Many managers fear conflict. They believe conflict is harmful, causing problems in the team and hurting people's feelings.

And while it is true there is unhealthy and healthy conflict (as shown in the graphic above), it is also true that avoiding conflict can lead to toxic team behaviour.

That's why managers must develop?conflict management?skills.

Now, let's see what that entails.

Some Advice?

Human Resource professionals worldwide use the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) to address conflict?at work.

We will break it down further in the email, but before, we must change our mindset on conflict.?

Instead of viewing it as a negative aspect of work, we should see it as a tool to produce better results.

Watch this video to see what we mean??

Your Hack

This week your hack is to?practice conflict management.

Conflict management is the process by which disputes are resolved, where negative results are minimized, and positive results are prioritized.

This critical management skill involves using different tactics such as negotiation, and creative thinking, depending on the situation.

An organization can minimize interpersonal issues, enhance client satisfaction, and produce better business outcomes with adequately managed conflict.

Here are five conflict styles and when they are necessary.

• Competition: This style is appropriate when you have to stand up for your rights or morals, need to make a quick decision and force others to get on board, need to end a long-term conflict or have to prevent a terrible, opposing decision from being made.
• Collaboration: Rather than trying to find a middle ground solution, you would aim for a solution that actually satisfies everyone and ends up being a win-win situation.?
• Compromise: This is best suited for issues of intermediate importance to you, important enough to care about yet not critical. Or when two individuals with equal power are faced with a win-lose issue where collaboration is not working.
• Avoidance: The most obvious time to use this style is when you need to find more time to handle a situation, gather more information or leads to avoid "emotional" conflicts.?
• Accommodation:?This style works when you realize a small sacrifice on your part can do a much greater good for someone else —?a favour, boosting someone's confidence, or encouraging development by allowing the other person to make decisions.

Parting Thoughts

Conflict doesn't have to be negative.

Each strategy we mentioned today has its own benefits; there is no right or wrong conflict management style.

Understanding how you instinctively respond to conflicts and having increased awareness of other management styles may help how you typically approach specific situations and lead to efficient and effective conflict resolution.

In this blog we expand on each conflict style and how you can properly use each of them depending on your situation??

The Importance and Benefits of Conflict Management

Unicorn Leaders — The Podcast

NEW EPISODES!???

Our next podcast guests: Aydin Mirzaee & Cassy Aite.

???Aydin?is co-founder and CEO of Fellow.app a platform helping people have more productive meetings ?? ??.

???Cassy?is the co-founder and CEO of Hoppier. He's on a mission to make it easier for companies to manage and send rewards or incentives without annoying reimbursements.

Take a listen & subscribe ??

Apple Podcasts?&?Spotify

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Sincerely,

The Unicorn Labs Team?