Houston, we have a
problem, I think?!
Why they should fight!
Dethra U. Giles, MBA, MSCM, SPHR
Director, HR and Administration, Emory University, Oxford College
What are other
negative impacts of
dysfunctional team?
@dugiles
Dethra Giles
Dethra Giles
The Story of Daniel!
• Turn off your cell phones or put
them on vibrate
• Participate!!!!! (This is an
interactive session)
• Respect fellow participants!
• Keep an open mind
• Enjoy the ride
Dare to disagree
Disasters caused by a failure
to have conflict
• Continued Childhood cancer (Alice
Stewart, Oxford 1950)
• Avianca Flight 52: Bogota, Colombia to
New York (1990)
• The unopened message: Battle of Trenton,
1776 (Fought between George
Washington and Johan Rall)
• The Shuttle Challenger (1986)
Number of CEOs interviewed:
85% said they avoided conflict
because they did not know
how to manage conflict or did
not want to deal with the
fallout
What is the biggest challenge to
constructive discord in the
workplace?
Institutional cultures that
thwart discord!
Decrease in childhood
cancer deaths
• Dr. Alice Stewart and George Neal
• Dr. Stewart discovered a link between xrays and childhood cancer
• Research done in the 50’s but X-rays were
not stopped until the 70’s
•
The Woman Who Knew Too Much: Alice Stewart and the Secrets of
Radiation
Why did Dr. Stewart and Mr.
Neal work
•
•
•
•
•
They sought out disagreement
Developed patience
Appreciated differences
Saw conflict as thinking
They mastered the art of “fighting”
You don’t get harmony when
everyone sings the same note.
-Doug Floyd
The Key
Dr. Stewart had the Key based on what
her daughter said
Let’s be HONEST!!!!
• Conflict is THINKING
and we have to get
good at it!
How?
• See conflict as an opportunity to learn and
gain understanding
• Be respectful and control your emotions
• Ask questions
• Mitigate unhealthy conflict management by
others
• Validate other’s points
• Manage your stuff
• No one is perfect and You, yes you, could
be wrong
The Leading Expert
John and Keisha are the leading experts
in their field but they cannot seem to
agree on anything. It would be
wonderful to put them on a project
together but every conversation
between the two lead to a big blow up:
neither has mastered the art of holding
their tongue. Both, Keisha and John are
currently working on a project with the
CEO. The CEO has taken the lead and
is using questionable data. Both John
and Keisha are quiet what do you do?
When to encourage
• Healthy; and
• Productive; and
• Failing to engage in conflict will have
a worse outcome than the silence
So, the reality is?
It is AAB
(All About Business)
Creating a Conflict Culture
•
•
•
•
•
Empower people to disagree
Embrace differences
Hire well
Train leadership
Have leadership model the
behavior
• Practice
• Readjust and reassure
This starts at HOME in your
department
What is your plan?
QUESTIONS?
Dethra U. Giles
dugiles@execuprep.com
1-866-580-2596