Strategy is meaningless without effective execution, and team health can be one of the biggest contributors – or most intractable obstacles - in implementing your strategy. As much as interpersonal drama might have you worn out right now, there are varieties that can actually help your business. Which of the following are you observing right now?
Personality-based conflict
Interpersonal chemistry can be a lubricant, or can be grit in the gears in your company. Certain behavioral styles are "naturally" compatible, and other combinations make the process of getting work done more challenging. A fast-paced, results driven person might be frustrated with another team member who uses research, analysis, and double checking to make sure the work product is of high quality. "Get it now" versus "Get it right" is one of the perennial personality-based conflicts in the work world.
Fast versus slow is only one of the differences that can create conflict. "People people" versus "task people" is the other major duel in behavioral style. Too much focus on knocking out an unending series of tasks at whatever cost to the team can lead to unplanned turnover and low morale. Reverse that, and your result is not much better - a team that is sharing weekly birthday cakes but missing production deadlines.
Awareness of one another's behavioral styles can help to inoculate teams against personality-based misunderstandings. Implement a DISC, StrengthsFinder, or some other assessment with your team, and do a group debrief. This will help to build awareness, interpersonal tools, empathy (and perhaps a bit of levity too) among the team.
Values-based conflict
Core values are your company's rules of engagement, the standards for employee behavior. If you have clarified the company's goals and selected team members that align with them, this sort of conflict might not occur frequently. When you see behavior that is out of alignment with core values, you need to make a prompt assessment about how serious the misalignment is. Remember - CORE values are fundamental enough that you would take a financial hit to fulfill them or terminate someone over an infraction.
If you do not take action on a values-based issue, you communicate that it is not core, that it isn't fundamental in your company. The behavior becomes the new, lower standard, and conflict will continue.
Priority/Focus-based conflict
What is the most important thing for you to be working on right now? What are the top 5 priorities that your leadership team is committing to for the next quarter?
Sometimes the priorities are right in front of you, in crises that need to be handled right now or it's game over. Others - particularly the working ON the business variety - require time and attention even when you think you don't have time and attention available. There might be disagreements on the team about the criteria for choosing whatever comes first.
Invited conflict
Yes, we said it. Consensus arrived at too quickly is often not truly consensus, but rather disagreement driven underground. Left unexplored, this unseen resistance is where intentional or unintentional sabotage comes from, showing itself in behavior that contradicts stated goals. Lack of conflict stems from a lack of trust among the team, so you need to be sure that you are inviting disagreement without recrimination or retaliation. Openness to dissenting views is something you demonstrate - and your behavior is the basis upon which trust is earned.
As the leader you need to invite disagreement before you seek commitment. When you have diversity on your team (personality, gender, ethnicity, age, expertise, etc.) the differences in perspective and knowledge base can help you to make sure you're not missing something important when you are setting priorities and making decisions. You don't benefit from the wealth of brainpower on your team if it's never shared.
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