Yesterday I wrote a
blog post about strength and weakness and which character traits organisations
promote in their employees. Many
organisations positively promote conflict as a means to driving their workforce.
For a time, competitive behaviour can drive team performance many people are
monetarily driven, or driven by ambition to climb the corporate ladder, but
what happens if they miss their footing on the way up – does the organisation
let them go into freefall because there are others to take their place or does
it provide support for those individuals so that they can reach their potential?
After all, the organisation has invested a lot of resources in that person over
the time they have worked for them, do they just overlook this?
Disagreements
between individuals are inevitable and healthy because it challenges thoughts
and opinions. However there has to be a balance between discussion and dispute.
Becoming embroiled in personal disputes will drain resources and reduce
performance levels in the long term. Robert Townsend is reputed to have said “A
good manager doesn't try to eliminate conflict; he tries to keep it from
wasting the energies of his people. If you're the boss and your people fight
you openly when they think that you are wrong - that's healthy.”
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