How Does Your Company Handle Conflict?

Which of these describes your culture:

1. Conflict is out in the open; we respectfully disagree in meetings and discuss the issue until we reach resolution or acceptance
2. Conflict is handled by the boss; we all agree in the meeting and then lobby our position to the boss afterwards and he or she resolves the conflict
3. Conflict is buried; we all agree in meetings, whoever is the leader decides and if we disagree, we keep it to ourselves

If your company operates under either #2 or #3 above, what is the cost?

• What new ideas or innovations are being lost when people are afraid to speak up?
• What is most important to you as a leader, being right or being effective? How does this show up in how you respond to conflict?
• Are high potential team members giving their all somewhere else in their life? Or even leaving to contribute somewhere else?
• How much are you leaving on the table that might be there for the taking, if people argued for the best answer?

Vistage Works

Elisa K. Spain