So, you think you’ve built an ecosystem…
Many organizations think they have created an ecosystem, but fall well short. Answer the questions below to check whether your “ecosystem” is sustainable in the long term....
Brain Circuits
Are you embracing or avoiding conflict?
All leaders like to keep things running smoothly, but are you conflict-avoidant? This short test will tell you whether it’s time to turn tension into opportunity.
The test
Answer the following questions honestly to measure your tendency to be conflict-avoidant. To what extent do you exhibit the following behaviors in interactions with colleagues?
- Feel unspoken frustrations
- Avoid difficult conversations
- Disagree silently with other peoples’ opinions and proposals
- Fear speaking up
- Worry about negative feedback
- Suppress anger
- Worry about not being liked
- Feel drained and disconnected
Turning tension into opportunity: the cycle of renewal
If you answered strongly in the affirmative to most of these questions, it sounds like you need to learn to face tension without fear of collapse. A useful way to do this is to think of the cycle of renewal in nature, where change is part of growth and regeneration. Similarly, conflict can be seen as a stepping stone to a bigger picture akin to the four seasons: peace, conflict, separation, and repair.
Peace: The state of mutual respect, care, and shared purpose.
Conflict: The surfacing of tension and friction; the signal that something needs to shift.
Separation: A time out, cooling-off phase – temporary distance to regain perspective.
Repair: The act of reconnection, willingness to understand, and curiosity to learn.
How to reframe conflict
- Examine your internal conflicts; such as between values of honesty and courage, and fears of losing your job, connections, and not being liked.
- Be honest with yourself – acknowledge the parts that want safety and those that want truth, giving both a voice.
- Accept that getting to repair requires a meaningful break through time out.
- Approach “conflict” situations not from defensiveness or avoidance, but with curiosity and a steadier sense of self.
- Lean into conflict – inner and outer – and orient towards repair to master the four-season cycle of renewal.
Key learning
Seeing conflict not as an ending but as an opportunity will open the door to stronger workplace relationships built on mutual respect, honesty, openness, and trust.
Authors
Related
Why are bad habits hard to break, and what can I do about it?
Habits form in the basal ganglia and can resist effort - discover substitution strategies that replace old routines with productive ones at work....
Audio available
AI and the CSO: 7 ways to drive competitive advantage
The role of the chief sustainability officer (CSO) has moved from the margins to the center of corporate strategy. Here are seven ways to harness AI to embed sustainability and drive growth....
Is your C-suite AI-literate?
Unlock senior leaders’ competitive edge: how AI elevates decision-making, coaching, and talent management - while mitigating cognitive offloading and bias....
Learn Brain Circuits
Join us for daily exercises focusing on issues from team building to developing an actionable sustainability plan to personal development. Go on - they only take five minutes.
Explore Leadership
What makes a great leader? Do you need charisma? How do you inspire your team? Our experts offer actionable insights through first-person narratives, behind-the-scenes interviews and The Help Desk.
Join Membership
Log in here to join in the conversation with the I by IMD community. Your subscription grants you access to the quarterly magazine plus daily articles, videos, podcasts and learning exercises.