So what did you think when you read the title? That I’m about to be very clever and expound on balance sheets? Well, maybe next time.
We have all been told that conflict is good for a team. In Pat Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team he encourages teams to “mine” for conflict. This goes slightly against our belief systems which cause us to cringe when we think of conflict. As a leader or manager it’s important to set that belief aside and encourage your Team to speak up. Does your team speak up? What might get in the way?
There was a time when leaders were command and control leaders. They took lessons from Sun Tzu and The Art of War. Leadership was leading a battle hence the old words like “mission” where we now have “purpose” or a “why”. Now there are situational leaders, authentic leaders, servant leaders etc.
Leaders who are dictators will not succeed in the future as 80 million Millennials replace the 50 million soon-to-retire baby boomers. The next generation believes that they have choice. Old school leaders may believe that employees need them more than they need the employees. If so, those leaders will end up with a “voiceless” team that is shut down from voicing opinions. Why pay for top talent and then dismiss their ideas – allow for a collaborative environment and mine for conflict to end up with a better plan!
Do you believe your own BS? Or are you listening……