Healthy Conflict Starts with Knowing Your Team’s DISC Style
We can maximize the benefits of healthy conflict by considering the communication styles that we have… and don’t have… on the team.
While we’re on the topic of helping our teams embrace healthy conflict to increase productivity and innovative problem solving. Let’s take a look at stressors that increase conflict for each of the DISC communication styles.
While there are many advantages to teams with a good blend of communication styles, it may be difficult to balance speed, stability, structure, and fluidity of initiatives without causing friction somewhere.
For example, D-Style team members will be ready to jump into action before all the information is finalized, while S-Style players will want to assure everyone is comfortable with the details before getting started.
It’s also important to recognize the blind spots of each style.
While it may be helpful to have the accuracy and process-driven C-Styles dotting I’s and crossing T’s, how boring and stale would projects be without I-Styles adding some energy and variation to the day-to-day interactions.
Leaders, your job is to leverage the strengths of each style on your team while accounting for the styles not on your team.
For example, if your team is missing D-Styles, be sure to take an urgency pulse check on a regular basis–“are we moving fast enough?” “What should our timeline be?”
If you’re missing S-Styles on your team, take the time check on the human side of the project–“how is everyone coping?”, “Let’s make time to regroup as a team…”
Be aware of what will likely cause conflict for each team member and proactively communicate the rules of engagement for the team.
