Conflict is everywhere. On social media and late night television we see never-ending arguments about politics, religion, or generational gaps. What if these disagreements were productive?
Conflict is necessary for creativity and development; however, it has to be constructive. America was founded on combining old ways of thinking and producing something new. The idea isn’t to compromise, but to take the different perspectives and create hybrids. Constructive conflict could even resolve the seemingly elusive healthcare issue that has divided our nation.
There are two stages to harness constructive conflict successfully: rules and conversation.
Stage 1 is to establish the basic rules for differing parties to communicate. Expectations for the discussion must engender respect and esprit de corps. It is imperative that all parties are willing to work together towards a common purpose:
The Department of Economics has been home to 28 Nobel Laureates and has created an educational dynasty over the past century. Famously competitive and contentious, every speech, research finding and published paper is an opportunity for disputation. But that’s what moves the field forward. Imaginative new theories are created and debated. Monetary policies, options, derivatives, and several other aspects of modern finance, for better or worse, are the inventions or improvements of the “Chicago Boys.” Thankfully, these days their ranks include women as well, because talent is prized above all.
Stage two to harness constructive conflict is an open conversation. The key is to treat the other parties as respected colleagues. Avoid debate since it leaves people in a reactive and judgmental position that will not be useful. Everyone needs to participate and develop new ideas; not compromise. Each participant should answer the following questions in turn:
Collaborate to create a shared vision that encompasses the desired results everyone wishes to achieve and how to achieve them. Run experiments and evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Adjust and repeat as appropriate. Diversity of thought is an essential characteristic of innovation, whether in pairs or communities, because it produces novel combinations and connections.
Conflict is necessary for creativity and development; however, it has to be constructive. America was founded on combining old ways of thinking and producing something new. The idea isn’t to compromise, but to take the different perspectives and create hybrids. Constructive conflict could even resolve the seemingly elusive healthcare issue that has divided our nation.
There are two stages to harness constructive conflict successfully: rules and conversation.
Stage 1 is to establish the basic rules for differing parties to communicate. Expectations for the discussion must engender respect and esprit de corps. It is imperative that all parties are willing to work together towards a common purpose:
- Use respectful language (no shouting or personal attacks)
- Ensure information is readily available to all parties and verifiably accurate
- Answer questions honestly
- Develop a new solution
- Respect basic human rights
- Test and evaluate solutions by putting it into practice
Constructive conflict can be an engine for genius
Look closely and you will find constructive conflict where creative genius flourishes. For example, Saieh Hall, the University of Chicago has been the birthplace of a wide array of economic theories that have greatly influenced how the free world of meaningful commerce functions.The Department of Economics has been home to 28 Nobel Laureates and has created an educational dynasty over the past century. Famously competitive and contentious, every speech, research finding and published paper is an opportunity for disputation. But that’s what moves the field forward. Imaginative new theories are created and debated. Monetary policies, options, derivatives, and several other aspects of modern finance, for better or worse, are the inventions or improvements of the “Chicago Boys.” Thankfully, these days their ranks include women as well, because talent is prized above all.
Stage two to harness constructive conflict is an open conversation. The key is to treat the other parties as respected colleagues. Avoid debate since it leaves people in a reactive and judgmental position that will not be useful. Everyone needs to participate and develop new ideas; not compromise. Each participant should answer the following questions in turn:
- What results do you want to achieve?
- What result do you want to avoid?
- Suggest a potential solution in detail
- Evaluate the upside and downside of their potential solutions
Collaborate to create a shared vision that encompasses the desired results everyone wishes to achieve and how to achieve them. Run experiments and evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Adjust and repeat as appropriate. Diversity of thought is an essential characteristic of innovation, whether in pairs or communities, because it produces novel combinations and connections.