How do you handle conflict and feedback in your team?
Learn from the community’s knowledge. Experts are adding insights into this AI-powered collaborative article, and you could too.
This is a new type of article that we started with the help of AI, and experts are taking it forward by sharing their thoughts directly into each section.
If you’d like to contribute, request an invite by liking or reacting to this article. Learn more
— The LinkedIn Team
How do you handle conflict and feedback in your team? As a leader, you need to foster a positive and productive culture that encourages collaboration, communication, and learning. In this article, you will learn some practical tips and strategies to inspire and reward team performance, while also managing and resolving any issues that may arise.
Set clear expectations and goals
One of the key factors that influence team performance is having a shared vision and direction. As a leader, you need to communicate the purpose, objectives, and expectations of your team clearly and consistently. This will help your team members understand their roles, responsibilities, and contributions to the overall success of the project or organization. You can also use SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) criteria to set and track team goals, and provide regular feedback and recognition to motivate and reward your team.
-
Conflict done right is critical to a healthy team, and the key is to be clear on what is the source of the conflict, and does the team have processes to resolve conflict constructively. I often see conflict when people disagree on either the overall objective ("what are we solving for") or a different understanding of the facts. If that's the case, then stop the discussion and figure out who can clarify the overall objective and ensure we all understand the same facts. Also, conflict can become toxic when people don't agree on the roles they are supposed to play. Who is the decider? Who is forming the recommendation? At LinkedIn, we use RAPID and it can be incredibly helpful in diffusing conflict for complex and important decisions.
(edited)52
Create a culture of trust and respect
Another essential element of team performance is trust and respect. As a leader, you need to model and promote a culture of honesty, openness, and mutual support among your team members. This means listening to their ideas and opinions, acknowledging their strengths and achievements, and addressing their concerns and challenges. You also need to encourage your team members to respect each other's differences, perspectives, and styles, and to collaborate and cooperate effectively. You can use tools such as team-building activities, personality assessments, and feedback sessions to enhance trust and respect in your team.
-
We’ve recently established a regular cadence to give each other non-anonymous feedback which has helped our team build trust: 1) We submit non-anonymous feedback on each other’s strengths and areas for growth 2) We discuss our individual feedback received during a team meeting (feedback is given to the individual prior to the session and they share key themes live). These sessions are particularly powerful because they require us to be vulnerable with one another as we shared what we heard from our peers and where we plan to take action. It’s been a good practice to foster a sense of mutual support and accountability.
(edited)26
Embrace diversity and inclusion
A diverse and inclusive team can bring many benefits to your organization, such as increased creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. As a leader, you need to embrace and celebrate the diversity of your team members, and ensure that they feel valued and respected for who they are and what they bring to the table. You also need to foster an inclusive environment where your team members can express themselves freely, share their views and experiences, and learn from each other. You can use strategies such as cross-cultural training, mentoring, and networking to promote diversity and inclusion in your team.
-
Embracing diversity and inclusion alone often isn't enough. You also need to make everyone feel they belong. An analogy often used is that diversity means inviting someone to the dance, inclusion means asking that person to dance with you, and belonging means that person is willing to come back again. To provide psychological safety, people from all backgrounds and from different perspectives need to feel heard. Just sitting at the table isn't enough—making them feel like they belong will help you and your team deal effectively with conflict.
12
Manage conflict constructively
Conflict is inevitable in any team, and it can have positive or negative effects on team performance, depending on how you handle it. As a leader, you need to manage conflict constructively, by identifying the sources and types of conflict, and using appropriate methods and skills to resolve them. You also need to facilitate open and respectful dialogue among your team members, and help them understand each other's perspectives and interests. You can use techniques such as active listening, empathy, and negotiation to manage conflict effectively.
-
To encourage really effective discussion of a topic where there are two (or more) opposing views, I use something I call the 'common ground' technique. 1. Start by having people outline the *other* point of view as if they really like it. 2. List all the areas that people agree - there's usually quite a lot. 3. Isolate the actual disagreement, and ask what's shaped people's views on that. 4. Investigate if there's a way that both/all sides could be right in some way. 5. Finally, decide what you can do next based on the common ground that's emerged. (This is a technique I developed based on game theorist Anatol Rapoport's work, and it never fails me.)
(edited)15
Provide feedback and coaching
Feedback and coaching are vital for team performance, as they help your team members improve their skills, knowledge, and performance. As a leader, you need to provide feedback and coaching that are timely, specific, and constructive, and that focus on the behaviors and outcomes, not the personalities or intentions. You also need to create a feedback culture in your team, where your team members can give and receive feedback from each other, and use it as a learning opportunity. You can use tools such as 360-degree feedback, peer coaching, and action plans to provide feedback and coaching to your team.
-
Feedback is intended to be a gift, but how it is given impacts how it may be received and interpreted. Please be careful about the communication preferences of the recipient. Some prefer informal in-the-moment feedback, like a DM; others would like to wait until a regularly scheduled 1-on-1. Some feedback may be more appropriate for in-person or video conversations, while a written version may better fit the situation. Refrain from assuming what their preference is; ask. While their answer may be what you anticipated, explicitly requesting and acknowledging their preference makes them a participant and increases engagement.
7
Celebrate and reward success
Finally, one of the best ways to inspire and reward team performance is to celebrate and reward success. As a leader, you need to recognize and appreciate the efforts and achievements of your team members, and celebrate the milestones and results of your team. You also need to reward your team members in ways that are meaningful and relevant to them, and that align with their values and motivations. You can use methods such as praise, recognition, incentives, and rewards to celebrate and reward success in your team.
-
2 important points on celebrating success: 1) Sharing credit doesn't diminish the credit for anyone. No one wins by themselves, recognizing the partners that helped you won't take from your own recognition 2) It's worth spending the time to actively think about who you are thankful for regularly. Every week, I block a few minutes to think through that and send an email to my team and partners to recognize a few people that made my week somehow. Makes me feel good because I focus on what's working well while fires are what's naturally taking our attention, makes the recipients feel good because they see you care, and shows the whole team the behaviours that you'd like to emulate more.
(edited)21