Conflict Isn't The Problem

Conflict in the workplace isn't always a bad thing. In fact, differences in ideas and perspectives can create opportunities for growth. This article explores how leaders can approach workplace conflict with greater understanding, separate disagreements from personal judgments, and create an environment where differing opinions can be handled professionally and respectfully.

As a supervisor, many of us dread situations where two of our employees are engaging in conflict and tension seems to be spreading throughout the department. Or maybe you’ve been in conflict with another leader in your organization, and the unresolved tension starts making every meeting feel unbearable.

Have you noticed that when the word conflict is said, there is normally a visible shift in the room? No one loves conflict, as the thought is that conflict is bad for employees and bad for an organization. However, conflict is vital to the growth of organizations and employees’ professional development. No one can go through their career without engaging in some type of conflict.

The key to understanding beneficial versus negative conflict is how it is handled by the employees involved and, if necessary, by leadership.

The key to understanding beneficial versus negative conflict is how it is handled by the employees involved and, if necessary, by leadership. Conflict has come to be thought of as inherently negative. However, Merriam-Webster defines conflict as “a difference or opposition between ideas, interests, or wishes.” This definition doesn’t allude to negativity, but if conflict isn’t handled appropriately, negativity is what is remembered.

In reality, department heads with differing ideas on how to approach a problem fall within the definition of conflict. Two employees having different ideas for the upcoming product launch celebration are technically in conflict. But those aren’t what we think of when the word conflict comes up in the workplace. Immediately, our minds go to situations that were handled in a way that didn’t include professionalism and respect.

There are a lot of great techniques for handling conflict in the workplace, but one especially interesting concept comes from management consultant Liz Kislik. In a TEDx talk on workplace conflict, Kislik shares a technique she calls the “Evil Logic Check.”

The other person just has different ideas, interests, or wishes that do not align with ours.

When we feel annoyed or are engaged in negative conflict, as humans, we tend to think of the other person as a bad person. But typically, that is not the case. The other person just has different ideas, interests, or wishes that do not align with ours.

That’s where the Evil Logic Check comes in. During a one-on-one meeting, you ask each party if they think so-and-so is evil. And you must use that exact word. Because the term is such an absolute, it shocks us out of thinking in such absolute terms and gives that person’s brain space to step back and say, no, they are not evil, they just insert word here. That allows room for reconsideration of the situation without the unspoken “bad person” mentality that most likely existed before the “evil” shock.

Once we can stop seeing the other person as the problem, we can start looking at what the actual conflict is, identifying the wants and needs of each person, and maybe finding common ground. The Evil Logic Check will not solve the conflict, but it can help create a more neutral lens through which to view it.

The goal of a manager isn’t always to eliminate conflict. Sometimes the goal in handling conflict is to create an environment where differences of opinion remain separate from judgments about each other’s character.

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