Organizational conflict is inevitable

- Most of us have been led to believe that conflict is always a bad thing. We think of conflict in organizations as something that needs to be resolved, but that's not always true. Every organization experiences conflict. When diverse minds get together, ideas are going to clash. Recognize conflict's value. It's not a problem. It's a tool for growth. To leverage conflict effectively, foster an environment that channels disagreements into productive conversations about the best way forward. Emphasize that this conflict needs to stay task-focused, and respectful at every step of the discussion. As a leader, don't shy away from conflict. Differences of opinion fuel creativity. So make sure you're guiding conflict toward positive outcomes. When two smart people, especially at senior levels, disagree, they're usually right about their most important points, and they need to discover the rightness in other people's points in order to find the best solution. So welcome conflict, guide discussions toward respectful dissent, and unleash the problem-solving capacity of your team.