Photographer Sue Thomson with Home, Corporate, & Church Based Art plus Poetry and Christian Perspectives
Today on Linkedin, I read: “Why we need to argue more at work Most of us prefer to avoid conflict, and for good reason. When we express dissent, we run the risk of being ostracized. But disagreement at work is too valuable a tool to go unused. As HBR’s Amy Gallo points out, companies that encourage constructive conflict have more satisfied workers and develop more creative ideas. So, how do you get past the fear of conflict? For starters, opt for respectability over likability at the office. Remember that disagreeing with someone doesn’t mean you’re insulting them. And, if it still feels awkward to speak up, pretend that you’re totally cool with it anyway. Acting the part is a great first step to living it.”
I liked that they used the words “Constructive Conflict”. I believe that it is always good to stir the pot, now and again, as long as it is truly done to constructively improve upon things. It is when it is you against me or the me against you situations that make things difficult… Hmmmm. That make me think of politics…. We need Republicans and Democrats to work on having constructive conflict. Right now it is one group against another.
If we work to reflect these things in our own lives… be it at work, at church, in organizations, in families or in politics… we will be better off and have more creative and meaningful answers to the situation at hand… I also believe we need to pick the most important things and focus on them. Let everything else fall off to the wayside. Who cares how someone dressed… what silly things someone said… how many vacations someone took… and so on. North Korea, Taxes, and the environment are some of the big ticket items. Focus on them and forget about the unimportant things., for they only serve to inflame the “other side” and they will become even more inflexible. They will stop listening to anything that is said. Let’s all start to embrace Constructive Conflict and make a difference… from the ground up! What do you say???