From the course: Management Tips

Unlock this course with a free trial

Join today to access over 22,400 courses taught by industry experts.

Knowing when to engage positive conflict

Knowing when to engage positive conflict

From the course: Management Tips

Knowing when to engage positive conflict

For some time now you've heard people say that conflict isn't all bad. They're right; some types of conflict are useful for teams. As long as the topic is important and the group has decent conflict management skills, conflict can have a positive impact on team performance. There are even times when you should consider actually starting a little needed conflict. I'm referring to positive conflict. That's tough discussion focused on the pressing issues that need to be addressed. Positive conflict can serve as a catalyst for needed change and improvement. But even with the best of intentions, this can be dangerous. Before you start stirring up trouble, be sure to consider these issues. First, do you have the needed social capital? Think of social capital as the strength of your reputation. Do you have a big enough, strong enough reputation to have decent odds of making the conversation you wish to start successful? On a related note, are you willing to lose social capital? Your…

Contents