In today's highly skilled work environment, dissent is a no brainer.
As college graduation rates continue to climb, they are gradually also redefining work culture.
Hierarchies and established ways of doing things are increasingly being tested by a new generation, adept in technology and much more in favor of a work/life balance.
Call it the war between the millennials and baby boomers or just yet another realignment of the way we operate in corporate America, life in the cubicle is changing.
Learning to embrace opposition and maneuvering it toward resolution is no easy task. Even in the most modern and youth-centric offices, traditional rules and authority often end up becoming reasons for dissent and fraction. But sometimes all it takes is a different take on the process or eventual conclusion of a project. As an executive, then, how do you handle conflicting ideas from team members?
Keeping in mind that not all offices follow a democracy, here are five ways to ensure your team remains motivated, creative and purposeful.
1) Set the tone for the team and the project: When introducing the project, make the process, the expected conclusion and everyone's role in it clear. By detailing personal targets as well as specifying individual roles, you will make participation easy as well as achievable and accountable. Also, by spelling out the process, you're indicating how much participation, engagement and thinking outside the box you really want. Because let's face it: not every project needs brain surgery and new processes. But what if you're positive that your idea will succeed and you just need your staff to fall into line? Again, offices aren't democracies, so just make your idea clear and ensure that everyone understands what you want. You might not receive the Favorite Boss of the Year award, but at least you won't send mixed signals to the team.
2) Talk it out: Despite making goals and the processes clear, sometimes team members--many of whom have been taught that creativity, engagement and leadership give birth to the best ideas—will still go ahead and put forth a proposal that might run counter to yours and propose a different set of outcomes.
You can handle this two ways: a) Invite the employee to present her idea to the team and get collaborative feedback. Hey, after all, two (or three) heads work better than one. Or b) you have a one on one conversation with the employee and demonstrate why you think your proposal has a higher rate of success. If there remains disagreement, chart out the pros and cons, connect the differences in the two proposals and invite dialogue instead of restraining thought. While debates don’t always lead to conclusions, they ensure active engagement and tell your team that their ownership in the project is equally valuable.
3) Test it: If an active debate doesn’t sort out the picture, give her the chance to test it out. Give the employee a fixed time span, the resources and the bandwidth to test out the proposal within a limited test area. By encouraging a practical solution, you're ensuring engagement, encouraging creative thinking, leadership and respecting their input. As I said, the aim isn't to prove someone wrong, but to find the most efficient and successful way of completion. Together.
4) Simulate a proposal: Simulation exercises can be useful in resolving team conflicts. Especially if the project is time-sensitive and you need to test out a new theory/proposal of a team member, and don’t have the resources to ensure a proper test. Give the team member a test environment to work with internally and use the results of the simulation, whether that be a closed network meeting, a survey of the contended parties, or a role play within the office, to decide the eventual process. Again, this will keep your team motivated and involved. And nothing breeds respect for the boss and commitment to the company's success like active engagement.
5) Make it clear: Every executive has a different modus operandi. Make it clear if your prescribed methods are the only way. The autocratic management style still exists in many executive suites and if it is the way you swear by, the least you can do to ensure follow-up and diligent conclusion is to make it clear from the start. Again, no guarantees of team loyalty laurels, but at least you ensure attracting the right kind of talent for your team. Rest assured there remain many today who will kowtow to your ideas and orders without the tiniest objection, so if obedient and hard working employees are your goal, make it clear.
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Aman Singh is an Editor with Vault and works with Fortune 500 companies on reporting their diversity recruitment strategies and initiatives.
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