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Sad but true – life within the cube is usually seen as a strife. Negative conflict, whether depending on interpersonal differences or political maneuvering, abounds. Ironically, for organizations to step-up and reach their potential they desire more conflict, not less. Here’s the hook – we’d like more positive conflict and much less negative conflict. Negative conflict is overly emotional, usually unnecessarily personal, and according to opinions and bad assumptions. Negative conflict, not surprisingly, is actually never related to positive outcomes in the office. Positive conflict is much more honestly rational than emotional, usually based on real issues not interpersonal differences, and rooted in objective facts. Want real innovation and improvement? You need three things: more positive conflict (and fewer negative conflict), better conflict management skills within the organization, plus a solid "no jerk" rule.

More positive and less negative conflict

These are separate but closely related ideas. Let’s start with all the negative. If go to this site ‘re a leader so you genuinely love enhancing your group and organization, to any extent further you personally shoulder the burden to on-site visit – in real time, quickly – all clear installments of unproductive negative conflict. See it, step up and discuss it, and clearly state to people involved why this is an demonstration of unproductive negative conflict that can’t be part of our work culture continue. Be kind, make sure, be of assistance – yes, but do it. If
Extra resources see the installments of ugly negative conflict pop-up so you do nothing to manage it, you’ll not possess a work place able to capitalizing on positive conflict. Assuming negative examples come in check, positive conflict is principled debating, questioning of assumptions, fact based sparring. As a leader, you encourage and facilitate this positive and aggressive form of dialogue. Don’t forget – you need to be questioned too, your surveys are not off limits when it’s time and energy to end up in debate mode.

Workplace conflict resolution

If the thing is to maximize the contribution of positive conflict, you need to arm your team to correctly deal with positive conflict. There are many internal and external approaches, nevertheless the point is not hard: so many people are not naturally wired to effectively navigate conflict filled situations. The good news is that these are skills that can be quickly acquired. Training of the sort will improve your team’s capacity to keep conversations positive and fact-based, to on-site visit unacceptable emotional levels, to correctly identify and prioritize whether confirmed issue is definitely worth the effort required for positive conflict, to find the correct people involved inside the conversation, specify tactics for safely asserting one’s point and for honestly validating others’ points, etc. For well chosen employees, a couple of days spent working through these tactics via reading, discussions and experiential activities pays huge dividends on your team.

No jerks allowed

It is, however, not just about your team – it’s really down to you. Any time allowing more than one individuals to significantly and/or persistently deviate from a major behavioral norm (for example shunning negative conflict so that you can build positive conflict), you’ve wasted your entire effort. When principled people in your team watch you allow a couple of individuals always participate in negative conflict without any consequences, you’re toast. If you want to be serious, you cannot play favorites or shut the door on conflict. The rule have to be clear and respected by all – no jerks allowed. Negative emotions spread just like a virus at the office. One lone jerk, allowed to be a jerk at will, will spoil the morale in the group quickly.

In short, if you will strongly encourage your direct reports to start out enforcing the ban on negative conflict, find some resources to assist the complete group build some well known conflict management skills, and if you personally will model the proper behaviors by not allowing any jerks to flourish, you will possess made great strides towards realizing the pure power of positive conflict for the organization.