When executives avoid challenging one another, issues can go unresolved and poor decisions can go unchecked. As a leader, your job is to create an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up. Here’s how to encourage productive conflict.
Clarify your team’s purpose. Agree on what your leadership team needs to accomplish together. A shared purpose helps people see disagreement as a way to achieve collective goals rather than a personal challenge.
Make meetings about questions, not updates. Share operational updates in advance and use meeting time to debate difficult decisions. Ask questions like, “What are our blind spots?” or “Where are cross-functional opportunities where we can take advantage?”
Build interpersonal trust. Help colleagues understand each other’s working styles and intentions. When people trust that challenges come from a desire to help the team succeed, they’re less likely to become defensive.
Address tensions directly. Encourage colleagues to raise frustrations with one another rather than letting resentment build. Model this behavior by seeking feedback yourself and establish clear norms for delivering it constructively.
