If your meetings all sound the same, feel the same, and result in more of the same,
you might be taking the path of least resistance.
The easy path.
To which I say, it’s high time you invited conflict into the room.
Not aggressive, abrasive, for-the-sake-of-it conflict, but the kind that stretches the room out with possibilities instead of automated consensus. Conflict is necessary to unearth feelings (and avoid resentment and bitterness), to be yourself (and not coalesce to the crowd), and to innovate anything new (and break from the same-old-same-old pack).
Ultimately, you need conflict to gain buy-in, establish unity and create magic.
Without it, everyone turns into too-friendly, people-pleaser, imagination-avoiders and then we’re back to where we started with meetings, products, and companies that bore the shit out of everyone.
Opening the windows is the only way to get any fresh air in the room, so bring healthy conflict into the room by creating a space where:
- Everyone is heard
- All ideas are allowed
- Opinions can be safely debated
That being said, keep these few guidelines in mind:
- Keep it productive and passionate, not personal
- Steer discussions with the facts, not fiction
- Create a safe and free environment to speak up in
Fundamentally, healthy conflict brings about alignment, not necessarily agreement – and that’s what you want! Success hinges on every kind of opinion, belief, and idea being allowed to breathe while everyone collectively aims at giving life to one thing.
Conflict isn’t a necessary evil, but a necessary element of success.