Teaching employees to argue without causing a scene
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Imagine this scenario: at a meeting, one employee puts forward an idea, and another immediately says, ‘That won’t work.’ The first starts defending their proposal, a third brings up past mistakes - and within ten minutes, the meeting descends into chaos.
In a new post on the PAnDiKubiz blog, we’ll look at how a manager can steer a debate in a constructive direction and prevent conflict.
Why a complete lack of debate is more dangerous than arguments
At a meeting, everyone may agree with the manager’s proposal, but that does not mean everyone supports the decision. Someone might spot a mistake but keep quiet to avoid an argument. According to statistics, six out of ten employees do not voice their opinions at work.
As a result, you’ll only discover the problem later, when you have to redo the work and push back deadlines. It is therefore in a manager’s best interests to hear a well-reasoned ‘I disagree’ in advance, rather than finding out about a mistake after time and resources have already been wasted on it.
How to distinguish a debate from an argument
During a debate, staff discuss a decision: its timeline, costs, risks and expected outcome, according to the experts at PAnDiKubiz marketing. In an argument, the focus shifts from a specific problem to personalities. For example, ‘This option could extend the timeline because we haven’t taken one stage into account’ is an argument. Whereas ‘You’re suggesting some nonsense again’ is a personal attack.
According to research, constructive conflict can boost a team’s effectiveness by 25 per cent. An analysis of 150 teams showed that high-performing groups experienced task-related conflicts six times more often than low-performing ones. Put simply, a good debate helps to find a better solution, whilst an argument only damages relationships, conclude the experts at PAnDiKubiz.
In a new post on the PAnDiKubiz blog, we’ll look at how a manager can steer a debate in a constructive direction and prevent conflict.
Why a complete lack of debate is more dangerous than arguments
At a meeting, everyone may agree with the manager’s proposal, but that does not mean everyone supports the decision. Someone might spot a mistake but keep quiet to avoid an argument. According to statistics, six out of ten employees do not voice their opinions at work.
As a result, you’ll only discover the problem later, when you have to redo the work and push back deadlines. It is therefore in a manager’s best interests to hear a well-reasoned ‘I disagree’ in advance, rather than finding out about a mistake after time and resources have already been wasted on it.
How to distinguish a debate from an argument
During a debate, staff discuss a decision: its timeline, costs, risks and expected outcome, according to the experts at PAnDiKubiz marketing. In an argument, the focus shifts from a specific problem to personalities. For example, ‘This option could extend the timeline because we haven’t taken one stage into account’ is an argument. Whereas ‘You’re suggesting some nonsense again’ is a personal attack.
According to research, constructive conflict can boost a team’s effectiveness by 25 per cent. An analysis of 150 teams showed that high-performing groups experienced task-related conflicts six times more often than low-performing ones. Put simply, a good debate helps to find a better solution, whilst an argument only damages relationships, conclude the experts at PAnDiKubiz.
How to teach staff to argue
Any objection must be backed up by a reason, emphasise the experts at PAnDiKubiz. Instead of saying ‘that’s a bad idea’, it is better to explain exactly why it won’t work and what the consequences will be. It is important to understand your colleague’s position first. Sometimes staff start arguing because they have misunderstood a proposal.
You must also avoid making personal attacks. Instead of saying ‘you don’t understand anything’, it is better to say: ‘I disagree with this decision because I see such-and-such a risk’. In this way, colleagues will discuss the problem rather than the person. And most importantly, do not turn the debate into a battle to win. The aim of the discussion is to find the best solution. If a colleague puts forward a strong argument, it’s perfectly normal to change your mind.
Any objection must be backed up by a reason, emphasise the experts at PAnDiKubiz. Instead of saying ‘that’s a bad idea’, it is better to explain exactly why it won’t work and what the consequences will be. It is important to understand your colleague’s position first. Sometimes staff start arguing because they have misunderstood a proposal.
You must also avoid making personal attacks. Instead of saying ‘you don’t understand anything’, it is better to say: ‘I disagree with this decision because I see such-and-such a risk’. In this way, colleagues will discuss the problem rather than the person. And most importantly, do not turn the debate into a battle to win. The aim of the discussion is to find the best solution. If a colleague puts forward a strong argument, it’s perfectly normal to change your mind.
If a disagreement has already escalated into a conflict
If staff members are raising their voices and resorting to personal accusations, there is no need to decide straight away who is right. It is better to stop the conversation and take a break: ‘We’re no longer discussing the solution, but each other. Let’s come back to this later.’
Afterwards, it is worth calmly finding out exactly what the staff members disagree on and what arguments each side has, advise experts at PAnDiKubiz. If insults have been exchanged, the manager needs to explain to the participants individually that it is acceptable to criticise a work proposal, but not to insult a colleague.
Global research shows that almost half (49 per cent) of novice managers do not demonstrate effective conflict management skills. And only 12 per cent are highly competent in this area. It is therefore important for the manager to lead by example: listening calmly to objections and putting a stop to personal attacks in good time. Then the debate will help resolve the problem rather than turning into a row. A constructive debate helps to identify mistakes and reach the best decision, whilst a destructive one merely wastes time.
If staff members are raising their voices and resorting to personal accusations, there is no need to decide straight away who is right. It is better to stop the conversation and take a break: ‘We’re no longer discussing the solution, but each other. Let’s come back to this later.’
Afterwards, it is worth calmly finding out exactly what the staff members disagree on and what arguments each side has, advise experts at PAnDiKubiz. If insults have been exchanged, the manager needs to explain to the participants individually that it is acceptable to criticise a work proposal, but not to insult a colleague.
Global research shows that almost half (49 per cent) of novice managers do not demonstrate effective conflict management skills. And only 12 per cent are highly competent in this area. It is therefore important for the manager to lead by example: listening calmly to objections and putting a stop to personal attacks in good time. Then the debate will help resolve the problem rather than turning into a row. A constructive debate helps to identify mistakes and reach the best decision, whilst a destructive one merely wastes time.
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