When acting as a leader or working in teams, conflict can be an inevitable part of life. Through my experience, I have learned that to navigate conflict it is important to listen and to seek to understand individual differences since it is usually from these differences that conflict arises. In these situations, it is important to practice active listening, with a true desire to understand the other side and their concern. I experienced the challenges with managing conflict when attempting to pass a highly debated resolution at the World Scout Conference that was written by my team. Instead of simply arguing and defending the resolution on the floor of the conference hall, I worked with my team to connect with those that had concerns about the resolution. During these meetings, we were able to overcome differences and understand where fears, concerns, and conflict stemmed from.
Over the course of my time as a leader, I have learned about the ways in which I handle conflict. When dealing with conflict in an interpersonal setting, I most commonly avoided conflict or accommodated around the conflict. Looking back, I felt comfortable using these strategies because I believed they were the best way to maintain the status quo and avoid the drama and challenges often associated with conflict. However, I have learned that avoiding or accommodating around conflict limits a team’s cohesion and ability to succeed. Such is the case when a team attempts to skip the “Storming” stage of Tuckman’s Model of Team Development. This was a lesson that I was reminded of when working as a Leadership Consultant. When team members avoid conflict by limiting themselves or accommodating around challenges, the team is limited. Additionally, when stress or pressure is applied, the effects may be worse because the team has not previously dealt with conflict together. To be successful, it is important that teams establish collaborative environment that allows conflict. The key to overcoming conflict is ensuring that relationships are built so that teams can openly communicate to navigate conflict when it occurs.