043: Dealing with Conflict

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Today I am talking about conflict.

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We often think of conflict as something that is destructive, and it often is, but there are times when healthy conflict can drive you to a new level of excellence. As leaders, I want you to determine which type of conflict you are dealing with, and take action immediately to stop the unhealthy conflict. You need to encourage healthy personal interactions that focuses on growing your team. It can be done, please enjoy the episode. Welcome to the finance leader podcast where leadership is bigger than the numbers. I am your host Stephen McLain. This is the podcast for developing leaders in finance and accounting. This is episode number 43. And I'll be talking about managing conflict. And I will highlight the following topics. Number one, you created the team culture that you have.

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Number two, get out front early when you see signs of conflict between team members. Number three, realize when you need to bring in additional resources.

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And number four continue to grow a positive, healthy team culture. Psychologist Kenneth Kay said, if we manage conflict constructively, we harness its energy for creativity and development. We are already two months into 2021. And I bet that most new year's resolutions have been forgotten. Most people are back to old habits. And we'll be making the same resolutions next year that will offer no solution to their problem. Those who properly plan goals are probably getting along in 2021 very well because they are assessing where they are and making adjustments, recording successes and seeing where they need to go to next. I love goal planning and execution, it's a far better way to determine your pathway to the future. So continue what you're doing. Continue to assess your goals, where you are, where you're going, make those adjustments, update your calendar. And also continue to just to look to where you want to go. keep working at it. Keep working the goal planning process, because it's never ending. You kind of see where you are, you see where you want to go. And you see what successes you've had. And also additional things that you need to add into your goals and continue to break them up so that they can be more easily achievable. This week, we are talking about conflict. Often when we think of conflict. It's about two personalities clashing which is often true. conflict can be both unhealthy and healthy. And we often think about the unhealthy stress causing version only. Now avoiding it is not the answer.

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If you are leading a team, you are responsible for creating a healthy environment for the entire team. So we need to be aware of and address conflict from the many angles and situations. Your team members may be clashing you might be witnessing conflict between managers and with senior leaders, which can create awkward situations. You might also be having conflict with your own team members, or with a peer or even your own supervisor. conflict can destroy a team. It can create unhealthy competition, divided team and even bullying. And that is why we need to continually be building a supportive culture, upholding standards of behavior and be focused on our people.

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Now healthy conflict can drive us to a higher level of excellence when we respect each other and can challenge each other and challenge ideas. That is where healthy conflict can reside. Lots of good can come from healthy conflict. Necessary change comes from healthy conflict. You can't change anything if you don't find conflict with a policy or a process you're dealing with.

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Change is usually the result of a conflict. We disagree with something. So healthy conflict is to be encouraged. I have seen conflict erupt many times over my career. It often comes from egos and stubbornness. If we manage and encourage the right conflict, it can be amazing and drives everyone to a higher level of excellence, a deeper level of respect, and a real focus on growth. Let's say that someone presents a good idea.

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Not a great idea, but a good idea. It's something we can work with. We can go in a number of directions with this. The jerk on the team could say bad things about the idea, thus hurting the person who presented the idea or the same person could say that the idea has promise. And this is how we make it better. Great work and coming up with that. Now, these are two different approaches, and two different outcomes. If you treat the person who came up with the idea horribly, that person will never present an idea ever again, and the team and the organization will miss out, we need to create the culture where input can be created and presented, and no one gets hurt in the meantime, and the team is pushed to our higher level, we need to teach people that it's okay to build on a base idea. And everyone comes out better as leader, you set the tone, you ought to be a teacher for what you're expecting regarding appropriate behavior, and what results your team will achieve. And the other piece of this is that when you do present an idea, you have to understand that we will probably build on that idea, especially if it's a good one, and may not be a great one right now. But we will turn it into a great idea as we go around the room. So we need to make sure that our people understand that it's okay that you present something that we can work with. And don't get offended by that you presented something really outstanding.

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And that we can build on it and make it even better make it even better for the organization.

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Because once we go around the room, people give their input and we can find something that we can really work with something we can build on something we can really turn into something that will make change. And we can bring maybe new ideas and new new products or services or a new process or a great way to do something different for the organization.

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So we just need to make sure as leader we are setting the tone for expectations, behavior, and how each person respects the other person. Now let's talk about how to deal with conflict.

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Number one, you created the team culture you have the example you set what behavior you allow, and the overall work ethic that is set in comes back to you as a leader, your team will continually be looking for the boundaries, like a young child will be doing what you talk about. And what people see you doing will be what your team does, and behaves towards others. You set the speed and the level of excellence. You set how people are treated, and how much you respect others, your conduct your words and your actions. Speak louder as to what the culture you get on the team.

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It begins and ends with you as the leader. If you set the tone for respect, and a respectful engagement of the sharing of ideas, then that is what you will get. Don't forget how you influence the culture by your own actions and attitude. The team will adopt your habits and how you treat others. Number two, get out front early when you see signs of conflict between team members determine if you're seeing unhealthy or healthy conflict. And it usually forms around respect is any party crossing personal boundaries, being offensive, harassing, or bullying? Anything not considered to be the norm.

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Challenging an idea or a suggestion, if done respectfully is healthy and good. We want this. We want to encourage this.

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This will bring out better ideas. Usually this is a culture we want. And we're no one gets hurt that their idea is being challenged is ideal. But it is difficult to achieve sometimes.

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But keep working at that culture, we want that one. Now attacking a person is not healthy and needs to be stopped.

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an unhealthy conflict needs to be stopped immediately. And if that is being done in a public manner, you need to step in, especially in public. When you're dealing with unresolved conflict. And I'm talking about over maybe days and weeks and months. Try to help the two parties find commonalities and the root of the conflict, give stern warnings that they will not disrupt the team. Now this leads us into the third issue.

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Number three, realize when you need to bring in additional resources if the conflict between our team members continues without resolution.

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Even though you have arbitrated it and tried to find common ground, you may need to formalize it by writing it out especially if the two parties are bothering others. The work is not getting done and the organizational values have been violated. Additionally, you may need to bring in expertise from HR or other department that has resources to resolve it.

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Especially if it's a reason beyond the scope of a personality conflict, like harassment or other similar issue and get the proper intervention documented. develop a plan and make the right decisions around it. Depending upon the conflict, and share you are protecting all parties as best you can. It's a tough topic for sure. But maintain order, calm and peace for the good of the group, and go get the additional resources that fit the problem. Number four, continue to grow a positive, healthy team culture, we need to build a team of common respect where we don't bully and also we don't have super sensitive egos, or nothing we say can't be challenged.

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Every idea and concept must be challenged until it is perfected and molded to see if it will work properly. We need to build a team that has healthy conflict and healthy competition. I know easier said than done. But this comes from your role as teacher and setting the right example, set expectations, we know that conflict will be inevitable it will happen. But if we teach and enforce how we treat others, and by our own example, we can respectfully hold others accountable. And also respectfully disagree. It begins and ends with you as the leader of the team. For an easy one.

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Today, I want you to grow your understanding on the difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict and determine your approach to both. Number one, what will you do to grow healthy interactions between members of your team? And number two, how will you handle ongoing unhealthy conflict between two members of your team. This is an important skill to grow and add to your toolkit. Additionally, find out what resources your company has to offer for situations involving harassment and discrimination. With these situations, you may need additional outside help to work through the problem and find a resolution that protects everyone involved. And that is compliant with company policy and the law have this knowledge available so you can go to it if the situation requires it. These are not easy situations to navigate on your own. So please don't go it alone involve experts on policy and the law. I have a free guide for you. It's called the leadership growth blueprint for finance and accounting managers. In the guide I talked about three leadership areas communication, team growth, and empowerment.

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Plus a few recommendations around challenges with the systems you are probably using to complete your work. The link to the guide is in the episode description. Or you can go to Stephen mclain.com. Please use it to help you with a few leadership wins today. Thank you. This episode is sponsored by my new online course offerings to finance leader Academy is called adventure finance and accounting career developing a promotion strategy that will set you apart. Are you having difficulty getting recognition from your leadership despite all the hard work you put into your job and your organization. To advance your career you must set yourself apart from your peers and you must be marketing yourself constantly. Showing up every day and completing your daily tasks even to a high degree of excellence will not guarantee a promotion. This course helps you establish your professional foundation and how you can set yourself apart from your peers by growing your leadership skills and developing your executive presence. You can go to Stephen McLain calm for more details. Today I talked about dealing with conflict and highlighted the following points. Number one, you created the team culture that you have.

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Number two, get out front early when you see signs of conflict between team members. Number three, realize when you need to bring in additional resources and for continued to grow a positive healthy team culture.

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As leaders our approach to conflict is often missing.

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Because we don't know what to do we usually try to avoid it, which is the wrong answer. We don't know how to increase the healthy interactions that lead to incredible outcomes. I want to encourage you to look into how you can help your team with healthy ways to manage issues and how to elevate each other to a higher level. Next week, I will be discussing mentorship and why it's important to find a great mentor to help in your career. I hope you enjoyed the finance leader Podcast. I am dedicated to helping you grow your leadership. I hope you enjoyed the show. You can get this episode wherever you find podcasts. Until next time, you can check out more resources at Stephen McLain calm and sign up for my updates so you don't miss an episode of the show. And now to lead your team and I'll see you next time. Thank you

043: Dealing with Conflict

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