Why conflict is necessary in the workplace

Conflict is not necessarily a pleasant part of organizational life, but as long as people are involved, there will be some differences of opinion. The reality of interpersonal relationships is that many individuals fear conflict because it can be uncomfortable for everyone involved. If conflict arises, discussions can sometimes get personal and emotions can become involved. When that occurs, workers can start to focus on their feelings rather than on the topic at hand. Still, there is value in uncomfortable conversations because they can lead to both personal and professional growth in the long run. Workplace conflict may not be comfortable, but it can be important for a number of reasons.

Thinking through perspectives

Individuals can bring all sorts of perspectives to the workplace. In some situations, people are comfortable expressing their opinion, and other times professionals are more prone to keep their ideas to themselves for fear of rebuke. What workers have to ask themselves is how much they really believe in their viewpoints. In addition, people have to decide why they feel the way they do. This may require certain individuals to present and then fight for their ideas. This doesn’t mean that they should aggressively seek conflict, but if they are faced with a challenge, they need to know why they find value in their perspective.

Exchange of ideas

The value of workplace conflict is that it can cause professionals to exchange a variety of different ideas. Again, the goal isn’t just to start a fight, but oftentimes a good concept must be dissected and analyzed so that flaws and errors can be eliminated before moving forward. Some individuals can think through all the ramifications of their decisions, but in many situations there is value in hearing a different perspective. Granted, if the originator of the idea was under the impression that the idea is good enough to stand on its own, there may be a conflict of opinions. This isn’t all bad, as the original thought may get better, or a group may realize that innovative concepts do not necessarily lead to actual implementation.

Building rapport

Conflict is an inevitable part of any relationship, whether personal or professional. People can certainly strive to be nice to one another and maintain a level of respect, but relationships of any depth will eventually experience some difference of opinion. In order for workers to trust one another, they may need to engage in dialogue that goes beyond surface-level conversation. Some individuals cannot deal with this level of conflict, while others find that they are able to build a greater level of trust with others after they have gone through a challenging time together. Conflict does not necessarily lead to greater rapport. However, conflict can lead to a greater amount of cohesion if workers can participate in honest but respectful dialogue that leads to a more balanced solution that benefits everyone involved.

Organizational growth

Again, professionals should not seek out conflict just for the sake of creating friction. If workers can all share ideas without having strong differences of opinion, they may find life to be a lot easier at the office. However, this is rarely the way organizational life unfolds. Moving the organization forward may require individuals to battle over vision, mission and objectives. Everyone can decide to remain polite and cordial, and some companies pursue this strategy because it minimizes discomfort with tense situations. However, if no one expresses a concern about organizational direction, mistakes may be made that could have been avoided. Conflict is not necessarily enjoyable, but it is often a essential part of organizational growth if leaders want their vision to be properly vetted.