When might conflict be good for your business?

In this article we’re going to show you how we can help you use your experiences of conflict within your business when employees, new or current, look to disrupt the day-to-day procedures you’ve had in place for a very long time. This could be your opportunity to introduce innovation and save on processes and productivity costs; to strengthen your business and future proof it.

Are you a small business or family owned business which has grown steadily and operated quite well under a fairly specific owner directed set of processes? Or is your business a medium or large organisation with over 25 employees, that has invested heavily in a set of policies and procedures that direct operations? Well this information applies equally to both of you.

How are systems and procedures developed in businesses?

In smaller organisations, processes, systems and ways of doing things are often handed down from a boss/business owner to an employee and as a business grows and that employee moves into a leadership role, the methods are passed on yet again.

It is normal for employees to adapt and “fit in” to the “usual” way of doing things after a while; sometimes weeks, sometimes months. When a new employee starts, they often ask questions like, “why do we do this like this?” or make statements like “Somewhere else we did this”. Alternatively, they just do things a different way which can often upset the status quo.

In larger businesses there may be policies and procedures that have not been reviewed for some time and anyone questioning by asking, “why” or “how”, is perceived to be causing problems.  Alternatively they may refer to how things were done in a former organisation which often resonates negatively with their new employer and/or colleagues.

How to deal with questions raised about changing your systems and procedures

In these situations, a constructive way of dealing with the questions or “different” behaviour has the capacity to provide the basis of a conversation that may introduce efficiencies and cost saving that had previously not been thought of.

In most situations the new person asking questions may be seen as being a “troublemaker” or “not fitting into the business culture”. In those instances where they are ignored or dismissed, there may be escalating conflict between boss and employee or other employees.

Allowing yourself to be open to the conversation and hearing what the new person, or maybe even an existing employee challenging the status quo has to say, affords your business the opportunity to really think about why certain things are done as they are. It may be a simple historical process or a habitual process and you just haven’t had the time to look at it more thoroughly or consider changing it; your new employee might be providing you with the efficiencies without you having to spend time and/or money to investigate yourself.

There may be legitimate reasons, for example legislative requirements, that do not allow for change and flexibility in how activities are undertaken. Alternatively, there may also be processes, policies and procedures that can be reviewed to ensure they are still fit for purpose.

Where it is established that your current policies and procedures are fit for purpose, it allows for a conversation with employees regarding the rationale for how things are done. Where they are no longer fit for purpose an organisation, small or large has an opportunity to implement change, process improvements and potentially cost savings on productivity.

In summary

In business, conflict or a difference of opinion, is a gateway to opportunity and innovation. When someone disagrees with a particular instruction on how to carry out a task, or questions the reason for a process or action, you have the options of:

1. clearly explaining why and how - the reasoning behind the request or instruction;
2. considering the issue from the other person’s perspective and perhaps offer to trial doing something the way they are suggesting; and/or
3. working with them to develop a completely different process.

Contact Blackforrest Consulting to learn how you or your leadership team can turn conflict into a benefit for your business.

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