Turning a conflict of wills into a combination of strengths

Posted: July 29, 2011 | Categories: Team Building

There is an old saying, “When two partners always agree…one of them isn’t necessary”.  With all that has happened in the economy the past few years, entrepreneurism is on the rise.  In many instances, the partner is a spouse.

The goal of business is to create and keep new customers, and make a healthy profit.  To achieve these objectives, teamwork and collaboration can be vital.  Let’s suppose a couple is about to make a major decision – such as hiring someone or acquiring a new business.  The first question to ask is: “Where is the gap?”  “What is driving this idea?’  Define the problem in a way that is non-blameful, and is stated in a way that both can agree on.

From this point, begin brainstorming without judgment.  (This is hard!)  From your assortment of ideas, identify what criteria are most important.  Next start building on your ideas.  First look for what you like about your partners idea, then communicate what you are not comfortable with.  Your partner might then say, “Ok, how about if we did this?”  In an atmosphere of mutual respect, you build problem solving synergy, and begin moving in step side-by-side in solving the problem.

In 1989, there was a serious oil spill in Alaska’s Prince William Sound.  It involved an Exxon-Mobil tanker.  After the incident, the rhetoric was heated, and blame and finger pointing abounded.  Some say it happened because the captain was drunk.  Others questioned the corporate policies.

What if they had taken a different approach and first defined the problem? What if they had defined the problem as “There is oil spilled on the water”?  Both Exxon-Mobil and the Sierra Club could agree on that.

When a team has a crisis or a problem, first define the problem and agree on your definition.  In an atmosphere of mutual respect, you can then put your ideas together, and create a path to move forward.