I have experienced some synchronicity around this topic...I have witnessed several unrelated instances...some people have complained about the interpersonal damages done by office conflict while others have applauded the value office conflicts have injected into innovative and creative processes.
Business empires have been built around office conflicts and 'crucial conversations'. In some cases the empires are bestselling books, must-do and how-to manuals aimed at teaching people how to diffuse, reduce, remove office conflicts. At the other end of the spectrum, we have a touted genius-of-our-time and an empire formed around the legacy of a partially-eaten apple.
And, interpersonal conflicts create huge challenges in family businesses: parent-child rifts, sibling rivalry, family distrusts. When these entrenchments exist it is easy to determine the cause/fault. It always rests with the other guy!
On the other hand, according to some experts, strongly-expressed differences of opinion lead to creative breakthroughs. Thick-skinned people locking horns in boardrooms and other meeting rooms...generating many diverse ideas...reaching a single decision...enjoying consensus...working in unison...achieving desired goals.
Radically different views about Office Conflicts!
What's your personal comfort zone?
Your comfort zone: that's the key area...
What's your personal comfort zone?
- How far are you prepared to stretch your comfort zone to accommodate other people's viewpoints?
- How open are you to accept different styles of communication when other people express their viewpoints?
- How clearly do you communicate your personal values and rules?
Put another way:
- Are you open to 'possibilities and 'new things'?
- Are you open to different personalities and communication styles?
- Do you know and share these important aspects of your character...telling stories to explain why you are the way you are?
As the ancient Greek maxim goes - "Know Thyself".
When you know yourself and know how to share important aspects of yourself with others you have the opportunity to be part of teams that excel at communication.
Internally - These successful teams may operate in friendly ways or in not-so-friendly ways.
Externally - These successful teams will present a unified front.
From Your Perspective - These successful teams will be inspiring, productive and gratifying.