Conflict is Good for Business

Conflict is a disruptor… and that’s a good thing. The agitation caused by conflict should trigger us to re-evaluate our interactions with others. It also provides the opportunity to seek greater understanding by listening more, asking better questions, and being more open to other ideas. That in turn will lead us to improve our communication and offer a more effective framework for future interactions, and that is good for business.

How to start? Push yourself to embrace conflict by initiating the communication. Begin with an open-ended question and really listen to the response. Then keep asking questions and listening until you have a deeper understanding of the other person’s thoughts. You will know you are making progress when the other person starts to ask you questions and really listens to your responses.