How to benefit from conflicts? Why are clashes in a team not always a bad thing? Maxim Kurbangaleev tells how to maintain a healthy team spirit and not be afraid of disagreements.
Conflicts do not hurt — Maxim Kurbangaleev
Thousands of people around the world try to avoid negative communication. They step away from the topic, keep silent about the problems and diligently pretend that everything is great. Psychologists agree that people are afraid of conflicts for several reasons: an inconvenient truth may open up, it seems that relationships will sour and the situation will not get better.
However, the conflict is far from loud scandals and shouts, as is commonly thought, but a way to constructively resolve the disagreements that have arisen and establish relations.
“I have met people who tried to avoid conflicts like the plague. As a result, it turned into one big explosion, where really unpleasant things were expressed in a rather rude form. The more diligently the team tries to avoid the negativity, the more difficult it will be for them to unravel the tangle of resentments and misunderstandings,” believes Maxim Kurbangaleev.
Conflict management methods involve different solutions to contradictory situations, including taking into account common mistakes – ignoring, the desire to resolve the conflict for the record and the use of template schemes. But what happens in practice?
“Often people turn a blind eye to the conflicts that are flaring up, as if eventually the disagreements should magically disappear. The strategy “If I do not see it, it does not exist” is chosen when the manager does not want to invest their personal time in team building. But teams where people do not know how to speak openly and honestly fall apart from any stress. It is important to live through problematic situations, and most importantly – to work to achieve mutual understanding. Silence can easily ruin a team, whereas a resolved conflict makes the team stronger,” says Maxim Kurbangaleev.
Maxim Kurbangaleev: Team management formula
One of the main reasons for conflicts in the team is the lack of a common understanding of goals. The disconnect of tasks in departments, incorrect focus and poorly established communications disturb the team’s calm. How to minimize triggers and take care of employees’ mutual understanding? Choose the appropriate methodology for team management.
“In my work, I use the “Jobs To Be Done” methodology. Initially, the CEO announces the mission and values of the company, then goals and subgoals (objectives and key results). Further, it is important to give the initiative to the heads of departments. They lay out the subgoals into tasks and pass them to subordinates at their discretion. There are risks in this approach, but the team should be able to work autonomously,” says Maxim Kurbangaleev.
The “Jobs To Be Done” methodology helps to find quick solutions and create a truly worthy product that meets the users’ needs. The “Jobs To Be Done” approach literally says: “People do not just want to satisfy their basic needs, but also dream of radically improving their lives with the help of a product”. Can a team understand its customers if chaos reigns inside it? Unlikely.
“It is important that the manager has evidence that the team is able to work independently, that calls are made and deals are closed without constant monitoring. Despite the freedom of action, the CEO should know what steps lead to results every day. It is not difficult to allocate an hour and summarize the results. It allows you to see the work done in a particular area. When managers do this, they can track weak points, including conflicts in the team. They should not ignore them, they need to solve them on the spot together with colleagues,” explains Maxim Kurbangaleev.
According to the expert, careful task tracking helps to draw conclusions within one sprint. In this case, there is no need to waste time on a long analysis and finding out the reasons. Thanks to daily monitoring everything is on the surface.
“When the team understands that the CEO is in the loop, that he or she does not check everyone’s work, but at the same time knows the state of affairs, employees are actively involved in the process. Moreover, the CEO should not stand still. It is necessary to test all stages for mistakes. Bureaucracy, conflicts and understatements can often slow down the work, that is why the CEO should make changes to business processes in time, taking into account revealed mistakes,” sums up Maxim Kurbangaleev.
Relationships within the team are each employee’ s responsibility — Maxim Kurbangaleev
Another thorny issue is whether friendly communication within the team helps to smooth things over and minimize conflicts.
Managers around the world argue whether communication in a team should be friendly or strictly professional. Where is the fine line between working relationships and friendship? Should an employee look for bosom friends among colleagues? What really affects the favorable climate in the team? Expert Maxim Kurbangaleev answers these questions and shares his opinion.
“Relationships within the team are the area of each employee’s responsibility. Building a culture and conveying values rests on the CEO’s shoulders, but no one, even the wisest and most thoughtful leader, can get into a person’s head. Decisions are made by people. It is important for me that the team appreciates each other for their professional qualities, and not for a pleasant conversation and tea drinking in the office. In this case, employees can ask for help and lean on their colleagues in a difficult situation. Among other things, a healthy atmosphere implies mutual respect, respect for personal boundaries and the ability to find compromises,” says Maxim Kurbangaleev.
No wonder they say that respect is the bedrock of society and interpersonal relationships. By showing tolerance to colleagues, sharing the company’s goals and understanding their own tasks, the employee contributes to the creation of a favorable environment in the team. It is obvious that the ability to resolve conflicts and benefit from them is in every employee’s hands.
