By: Melanie Emerson, PhD
Conflict in the workplace is often viewed through a negative lens, associated with
stress, reduced morale, and disruptions. However, when managed properly, conflict can
become a catalyst for innovation and heightened productivity. This double-edged sword
can either spur success or breed unproductive behaviors, making it crucial to
understand both sides of the coin.
The Bright Side: Innovation and Productivity
Conflict, despite its negative connotations, can be a powerful driver of innovation. When
team members engage in healthy debates and challenge each other's ideas, it can lead
to creative solutions and improved processes. Diverse perspectives bring fresh ideas to
the table, pushing the boundaries of conventional thinking. This dynamic environment
can foster an atmosphere where employees feel empowered to propose bold ideas,
knowing that their contributions are valued and not merely dismissed.
Additionally, conflict can boost productivity when it's based on constructive criticism and
mutual respect. It encourages individuals to refine their arguments, back their claims
with data, and strive for excellence. This productive tension can elevate the quality of
work and prevent complacency.
The Dark Side: Hostilities and Unproductive Behaviors
However, conflict can also descend into chaos if not managed correctly. Interpersonal
hostilities, both overt and covert, can arise, leading to a toxic work environment. Open
hostility manifests as heated arguments, disrespectful behavior, and a clear breakdown
of professional relationships. Covert hostilities, on the other hand, are more insidious,
including passive-aggressive behavior, backstabbing, and silent sabotage.
Unproductive competitive behavior can also stem from unresolved conflict. When
individuals become more focused on outdoing each other than achieving collective
goals, it can fragment teams and lead to inefficiencies. This competition can erode trust
and cooperation, essential elements for a harmonious workplace.
Navigating Conflict: The Role of Leaders
Effective leadership is key to managing workplace conflict. Leaders, both formal and
informal, must strike a balance between laissez-faire and micro-managing approaches.
A laissez-faire attitude can allow conflicts to fester and grow, while micro-managing can
stifle innovation, suppress open communication and engender mistrust.
To manage conflict effectively, or at least to do no harm, leaders can employ a range of
tactics and techniques:
Promote open, honest, and direct communication: Encourage a culture of transparency
where employees feel safe to express their concerns and ideas without fear of
retaliation, shame or undermining. Regular team meetings and open-door policies can
facilitate this. For leaders seeking an approach to manage internal team tension and
interpersonal conflict, I strongly recommend Radical Candor by Kim Scott. For leaders
and colleagues alike, Princeton University has a self-paced multi-modal curated set of
free resources to further develop one’s core communication skills
Foster development of conflict dynamics skills: Provide training in the fundamentals of
conflict resolution so that employees and managers are equipped to handle disputes
constructively. I am certainly not suggesting everyone become a mediator! Techniques
like active listening, empathy, perspective-taking, and paraphrasing can defuse tensions
before they escalate. Two resources I recommend for this are Difficult Conversations:
How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila
Heen, and Dialogue: The Art of Thinking Together by William Isaacs. Additionally,
this short but insightful blogpost challenges us to prioritize conflict as a productive road
to relationship-building experience.
Set clear expectations: Ensure that everyone understands the leaders’ perspectives and
organization’s policies on respectful behavior, bullying, harassment and conflict
management. Clear protocols provide guidance on individual behavior and a framework
for addressing issues early on. Additionally, an incredibly common source of intra-
organizational conflict is the lack of role clarity. Lack of role clarity makes expectations
murky, fuels internal conflict, and creates confusion about responsibilities. This leads to
overlapping or gaps in responsibility, unclear accountability, miscommunication, and
unhealthy/underhanded competition for recognition.
Role clarity can reduce conflict by ensuring everyone understands their and others’
specific tasks and boundaries within a team. To learn more about role clarity, this short
article from Forbes provides an interesting perspective. For leaders, creating or refining
a RACI chart (aka “decision rights chart “or “responsibility charting”) for your team can
promote best practices and prove indispensable. (Indeed article and Johns Hopkins
Lead by example: Demonstrate conflict resolution skills in your interactions. Leaders
who consistently model calm and respectful behavior in an egalitarian way set the tone
for the entire team or organization. Further, by encouraging and modeling collegial
collaboration, leaders can foster constructive relationships, trust, and mutual concern,
all crucial underpinnings toward channeling conflict that does arise to constructive
outcomes.
While conflict in the workplace can be challenging, it is not inherently
detrimental. When managed effectively, it can be a powerful force for innovation and
productivity. By fostering an environment of open communication and mutual respect,
leaders can navigate the complexities of conflict and harness its potential for positive
outcomes.
Bynes Consulting Group's, Melanie Emerson, holds a master’s degree in conflict analysis and transformation and brings 25 years of experience helping organizations and individuals navigate conflict effectively. She specializes in creating inclusive, constructive workplaces that harness conflict’s benefits while addressing its challenges. With a background as a nonprofit and government consultant, university ombudsman, community mediator, and neutral facilitator for complex negotiations, Melanie has guided diverse groups through difficult situations. We can provide conflict management services, including impartial assessments, mediation, team training and coaching, and more. Contact us today to explore tailored solutions for your organization.
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