From conflict to collaboration

by. Sean McDonald

I just got back from a completely “unplugged” vacation!  Two things about that:

1. If you’ve never done it (I mean a complete and total break from cell phones, laptops, i-whatevers, etc.,) you should take some time to do this. It helps if you go somewhere where all of your “stuff” won’t work well but if a tropical island isn’t in your plans, find a way to hide your electronics.  Take a self-imposed exile of some kind!

2. I realized that by stepping back and allowing for some time to clear my head and regroup, I began to think more clearly and was able to refocus on things that will be important for 2014 and beyond.

One of the things that was reinforced is my long-held belief that if conflict is approached properly and handled methodically, the outcome can be one of collaboration instead of more conflict.

Conflict, in manageable doses, is actually healthy for an organization.  But too often, we let the conflicts grow and instead of being productive, our teams instead become resentful, angry, and uninterested.

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