🔍 When I ask people how they resolve conflicts in business, they often respond, „𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐬!“ and consider it a sign of excellent teamwork.
💡 They are often surprised when I share that a lack of conflicts might indicate low performance. If the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process is used to its full potential, or if teams are wholeheartedly driving a transformation initiative, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. Running and transforming a business involves understanding different, sometimes conflicting requirements and needs, and aligning them constructively. Every conflict is an opportunity 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦.
📉 Low-performing teams 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐬 until the impact becomes visible, then 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 when things spiral out of control.
📈 High-performing teams, on the other hand, are not afraid of 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. They make these tensions visible when they signal essential 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐲𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 and manage conflicts on an eye-to-eye level, respecting others as humans and putting the 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 of constructive conflict resolution.