Personality Clash or Opportunity? Working with People with Whom you Disagree
It is common to think that conceptual disagreements in the workplace may result from a personality clash or an unsolvable problem. However, conflict at work can generate better ideas if navigated with respect, humility and a grand interest in doing what’s best for the organization.
While acknowledging that the process of collaborating successfully can be challenging, Forbes offers these three examples of how disagreements can be good for you and your organization:
You can become a stronger critical thinker:
"Being challenged before your idea or strategy hits the public eye will be better for your company, ensuring that you've thought through every angle honestly and critically," Forbes writer Tori Utley explains.
You will be pushed to step outside of your own thinking in order to look for the middle ground and establish compromises when disagreements arise.
Having to defend your position will ensure you have a solid knowledge of the concepts that inform your decisions. This will help you acquire a stronger understanding of the organization and its clientele.
You will learn to respect views that are different from yours:
We all come to the table with different experiences and backgrounds influencing our thinking. When we respect that others' legitimately come to different conclusions based on their unique experiences, it builds our ability to value diverse thinking. Valuing diversity of thought can lead to more creative and innovative solutions.
Pay close attention to the objections your idea(s) receive. Utley suggests analyzing the feedback you receive to understand your colleagues' perspectives and realize why your idea(s) might not be the best one to employ based on the situation.
Respecting others and their viewpoints helps improve team trust. Vantage Leadership suggests that "As teams learn to embrace and manage conflict, they grow together and become more in tune with each other's thought processes."
You will end up making better decisions:
Listening to differing viewpoints broadens your perspective and leads to better decision-making as we're each able to see the blind spots of others.
"Being able to work through conflict helps teams learn how to resolve issues in ways that encourage compromise and creativity," explains Vantage Leadership.
If your team understands the company's mission, they will diligently sift through diverse opinions and disagreements in order to make the best decision that will yield success, explains Utley.