Understanding the Role of Conflict in the Workplace
The thought of conflict can leave even the best of us feeling uncomfortable. The thought of miscommunication, lack of understanding, and arguments is often enough to stop us engaging in any difficult situation.
What if I told you that conflict didn’t have to feel like this? In fact, what if I told you that conflict could actually be healthy and result in higher levels of team productivity?
Let’s start by unpacking what conflict actually is.
What is Conflict
Conflict happens when two or more parties have a clash or disagreement. Conflict is inevitable, especially at work, because people just don’t have all the same ideas and opinions. We all want our voices and ideas heard, and when that doesn’t happen, it can lead to conflict.
When it comes to the workplace, conflict can feel especially bad. These are the people you spend most of your days with, you don’t want to have to sit with uneasy feelings. Disagreements, especially about new ideas and opportunities, can lead to uneasy interactions and longer-term conflict that can leave the team in an unproductive and argumentative state.
Perceiving Conflict
As a leader, you need to ask yourself what your role in managing conflict at work is. When you think about conflict, how does it feel in your body?
Conflict can feel negative, neutral, or even positive – and it’s the positive response that we want to nurture. Your response to a difficult situation can impact the entire tone of the conversation that needs to happen.
Your role is to let every member of your team involved in the conflict have their voice heard. Your team members need to feel acknowledged and listened to so that everyone has an opportunity to share their ideas and any relevant information.
Leaving a Conflict Legacy
A positive conflict legacy starts with you.
Your team's reaction to the conflict all comes down to how you approach it. If your natural reaction is negative, work to shift your mindset so that you can see the potential benefits of conflict.
When faced with conflict in your team, set your personal feelings about it aside. While your feelings and emotions are valid and you have every right to feel them, this moment is not all about you. It’s about how you navigate everyone through this difficult situation, taking into account the feelings of the other parties, too.
It helps to assume the best of the others involved in the conflict. Rarely do we enter into a difficult conflict with negative intentions – we all just want to have our ideas and voices heard.
This is your opportunity to ask questions. Questions help us understand everyone’s perspective when we take the time to ask them – and stay open to listen to their answers. Questions help us understand the other party’s motivations and reasons for entering into the conflict.
As a leader, use these questions and your open mind to deal with these difficult situations in a more positive way, leaving a lasting conflict legacy.
Different Types of Conflict
We can experience different types of conflict depending on our approach to the difficult situation. It’s helpful to understand how to identify each conflict type, especially in the workplace, so you can handle it effectively.
Affective Conflict
Affective conflict is the most well-known type of conflict. This happens when we approach a difficult situation from a negative place. These are personal conflicts, often revolving around personal disagreements or dislikes between team members.
Affective conflict often leaves us feeling bad. Feelings of anger, distrust, and resentment often accompany this type of conflict, along with unprofessional behavior like name-calling, personal attacks, or passive-aggressive hostility. This can all make it very uncomfortable and difficult to work together.
Remember that as a leader, it is your responsibility to help your team members navigate these difficult conversations. Don’t force them to figure it out themselves; when we are in affective conflict, we are responding with our emotions, often unable to see any other solution.
Substantive Conflict
Substantive conflict, on the other hand, is a more logical approach to conflict. It happens when there are disagreements over group ideas or issues, leaving the personal feelings off the table.
Substantive conflict can actually lead to more productive teams who are open to discussing new ideas and figuring out solutions that benefit everyone. This type of conflict can have a positive impact on your workplace.
In your leadership role, bring people together who think differently than you do. Hear all types of voices and ideas to figure out the best and most appropriate way to move forward. Make it your intention to come together as a diverse team with the goal of substantially solving the conflict.
When you manage conflict effectively, it can result in a positive outcome for your team. Those are the outcomes you want to nurture, as a leader, where you encourage creative thinking, new and innovative ideas, and open discussion.
Next Steps
If you experience conflict in your team and aren’t sure how to navigate it effectively, it might be time to bring in some outside help.
I offer lunch and learns, workshops, and retreats centering around conflict resolution and management. Learn to harness the power of substantive conflict and build better, more positive, and productive teams. Interested? Book a consult with me to find out more.
