A manager who refuses conflicts can do a lot of harm to his team. Therefore, if your life have already not learned you that conflicts can be healthy, try to start with the following gradual steps. The steps were summarized by psychologist and expert on health management of teams Liane Davey on the Psychology Today website.
"Having conflict - presenting a different point of view even when it is uncomfortable—is critical to team effectiveness," says Davey. Different opinions support innovation and growth, help prevent risks. So if you tend to agree with others just because you want to avoid conflict, try these techniques:
1. Use "and" instead of "but"
Different opinions do not mean that one of you is right and the other is wrong. Try to present your different view by omitting "but" and using "and" instead. Example: "You say that we need to save a part of our budget to organize a customer event and (not but) I think we should invest this money in employee training. So what options do we have?"
2. Speak hypothetically
Try to ask your team members to imagine a hypothetical scenario. Example: "You say that we do not have the right salespeople to start our campaign. How would the campaign look like if we had them?"
3. Ask about consequences
Disagreeing without any explanation does not make sense. Use open questions to inspire your team members to think about the consequences. Example: "When we launch our new product only in the U.S. market, what impact will it have on our customers in other countries?"
4. Search for cause
When you disagree with something, first try to understand the thinking of the other person. Openly ask what the objective of the proposed solution is. Then you may find a different one. Example: "I must admit that I was surprised by you suggestion. What goal do you want to reach?"
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