How Conflict Helps Business Grow

A workplace tussle can bring about feelings of discontent. There’s no way to dress up the discord. It can be disturbing, distressing, and downright disheartening for employees and management alike. But it is entirely possible to approach conflict from a different point of view. When you choose to treat each disagreement as a learning experience that benefits everyone, it transforms the moment into an opportunity for growth.

This is true in any environment, be it the restaurant industry or a nonprofit organization where staff consistently work in close quarters. The occasional disagreement is not just normal, but to be expected. By taking a more proactive stance and using the moment to its fullest advantage, managers can ease the pain that comes with such conversations and use them to help their businesses grow and change. Here’s why healthy conflict is vital to every company.

It Introduces New Concepts

The simplest disagreements can be eye-opening because they offer a chance to consider new viewpoints. The key is to approach the conversation with an open mind. Turning a blind eye to what someone else has to say simply because one disagrees with the other can backfire, particularly if there’s a chance that the other party has a valid point that may, in fact, benefit the business.

It could be something simple, like changing the layout of the space to make it more user-friendly and simpler for employees to engage with one another. Or it could have a more direct impact on the brand’s bottom line, such as hosting a certain type of promotional giveaway that draws more clients to the brand. When new concepts are introduced, even through conflict, it’s important to give them their due diligence and consideration before dismissing them outright.

It Improves Listening Skills

While listening is a skill best learned during the formative childhood years, there’s certainly space for adults to improve in this area. Listening is a vital technique that contributes to a healthier and more affable workplace where people get along, respect opinions, and forge meaningful connections. Those bonds are vital to a healthy environment where one person doesn’t dominate another; parity allows everyone to share their opinions and solutions without fear of being overwhelmed or turned down.

It’s helpful for managers to recognize positive input from staff on occasion, too. While you don’t want to create a habit of rewarding employees simply for getting along — that should be everyone’s default setting — it can be motivating to call out contributions and recognize achievements that were born from conflict. Presenting gifts for employees to the team that initially disagreed on all counts but that eventually brought new clients to the company shows your appreciation and recognition of their hard work and efforts.

It Leads to Results

All business environments are results-oriented. Without some sort of end goal and future mission in sight, there’s no purpose. Employees are driven by that purpose, but each of them approaches their own specific goal in their own way — and that can lead to occasional strife. While such conversations can be uncomfortable, they can also be beneficial to the brand at large if they lead to solutions that help the company achieve the goal in a new and unexpected way.

This comes back to listening closely to what each person has to say. It’s not enough to dismiss the opinions and feelings of others as invalid if, in fact, there’s a possibility that a change in plans could be just what the company needs to reach the next level. An employee who has a new idea for a fresh, modernized logo might be onto something — and with that change in branding could come a new and exciting website, fresh embroidered work shirts for the team, and an exciting marketing plan that rejuvenates the brand.

It Opens Up Avenues

It’s different points of view and experiences that ultimately contribute to a well-rounded workplace. Opinions and feelings are shaped for a reason. Each person brings their own unique background to their professional environment. Managers need to recognize what makes each person special and how they can bring something specific to the table. Instead of tamping down the conflict as it happens, leaders can use these opportunities to recognize what makes each employee so important to the company — why they matter, what they do best, and how they can contribute.

Opening up those avenues and allowing each person on the floor to speak their mind is key to a more energized workplace, too. Encouraging freedom of expression and thought invigorates employees to speak their truth and show their best selves every day. Strive to create a sense of balance. There should be no differentiation in conflict. Everyone wears the same custom work uniforms, and everyone has something of value to bring to the company.

With these benefits in mind, it’s far easier to approach conflicts positively. It’s often up to management to change the conversation and provide encouragement where it’s needed. By adjusting the overall mindset, employees can learn to work through any conversation — even the most difficult — and use it to the company’s advantage.