14 Resolve conflicts

 

Anytime we’re at work, we’re with other people. That automatically creates opportunities for conflict: we all have different opinions, different priorities, and different perspectives, and when those don’t mesh, conflict can arise. Conflict can actually be healthy at times, provided you know how to work your way through it with grace and professionalism.

Before we dive in, let’s acknowledge some of the different types of conflict that can arise, since we’ll need to take slightly different approaches to each:

  • Businesses often create deliberate, intentional tension that’s designed to help weigh competing interests and priorities within the business. When used properly, these create “healthy conflict” that helps businesses navigate tradeoffs and compromises.
  • Businesses can also have unintentional conflicts around business decisions, which are often the result of unforeseen circumstances.
  • As humans, we can create or be subject to personal conflicts. These may arise from business situations, such as two people disagreeing on a particular decision, but they’re almost always unhealthy and almost always need to be resolved.

14.1 Conflict can be healthy and even deliberate

14.2 Seeking context

14.3 Returning to first principles

14.4 Relying on data

14.5 Using decision-making frameworks

14.6 A win doesn’t matter as much as the outcome

14.7 Action items