Overcome Polarization - Foster Diversity of Thought
Leaders: challenged by conflict? Are your team members fighting or have they ceased speaking? Are employees self-censoring? Letting the loudest win? Are you wasting time pleading for teamwork and communication?
When team members are faced with polarizing situations they react with fight or fold. Fighting asserts and argues assuming they are with the accurate party. Folding might mean silence, self-censoring or quiet quitting.
To be clear- communication and teamwork are performance expectations. Yet, when we are desperate for talent, we are tempted to overlook this “one flaw.” How do we overcome this?
Cultures are created “not by what we preach, but what we tolerate.” Extreme Ownership
We must overcome polarization by creating psychological safety. This is achieved with constant authentic dialogue and sharing challenges. Healthy cultures must promote diversity of thought and avoid false agreement.
MIDDLE workshops assess the team personality types and create awareness of the gap between intention and impact. Larger gaps in styles of conflict require more transparency and intention. Participants learn how to manage themselves - and their automatic thoughts, and how to relate to others. Workshops start to form psychological safety, build understanding, create space for discussion and assist the link intention and impact. Healthy conflict builds better products, analyzes risk more fully, and promotes diversity.