Page 164 - How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win

HOW DO I BUILD A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT? (EFFECTIVE WORK CULTURE OR SETTING)

go away. It is always amazing to her when people confront
a conflict openly and something good actually comes of it.
While it is entirely possible to create conflict unnecessar-
ily, when we run and hide from differences, conflict often
festers.
Leaders build a positive work environment by facing and
running into conflict rather than avoiding and hiding from
it. This does not imply escalating conflict through blame,
contention, or yelling. Quite the contrary. Running into
conflict rather than away from it means respectfully airing
multiple points of view, being transparent about problems,
and moving quickly toward problem solving when things go
wrong.
Conflict may require difficult decisions. A firm saw a
30 percent drop in revenues in a recession, which led to
the need for cutbacks on staff, compensation, and training
opportunities. Rather than hide from this difficult conver-
sation, leaders in this company became very transparent.
They went to employee groups and shared industry condi-
tions, customer demand, and their company’s financial
woes. Leaders then asked employees to help them find ways
to survive the downturn. Instead of resisting and postur-
ing, employees were highly motivated to find creative ways
to reduce costs. They minimized travel, gave back vacation
days, managed supplies better, and implemented dozens of
other cost-cutting ideas in an effort to save jobs. When this
was not enough, employees also recognized that some job
cuts were necessary for the company’s survival, so morale
was not overly compromised.
Conflict may also occur between individuals within a
work team. Leaders who sense a conflict among employees
need to teach and model skills for conflict resolution. It is

145