🔄 Ever feel like your meetings go nowhere, your agenda gets hijacked, or your coworkers aren't doing their part?
These are signs that power isn't being used effectively. While many think misusing power means using TOO MUCH, NOT USING IT ENOUGH can be just as harmful.
Managers [and also founders] might fear conflict, avoid being bossy, or hesitate to make decisions to stay collaborative. But if you have power, you must use it.
Avoiding it just confuses everyone and leaves a gap filled by the loudest person, not necessarily the best.
Good leaders know when to step up—addressing difficult topics, making decisions, giving tough feedback, and holding people accountable.
How Power Plays a Role:
⚖️ Power often means avoiding discomfort—skipping long lines, dodging meetings, or staying away from uneasy situations. But leadership isn't about comfort; it's about using your power for the greater good, even when it’s tough.
Effective leaders use their power to address problems head-on. This is measured by the Conflict Averse - Conflict Competent scale, which assesses whether leaders avoid conflict or handle it well.
Why It Matters:
💬 Giving tough feedback is challenging. Many managers avoid it or soften the message, leading to miscommunication and unchecked poor behavior. Kim Scott’s Radical Candor method emphasizes the need for direct feedback to avoid negative outcomes.
How It Plays Out:
🔍 The Conflict Averse - Conflict Competent scale evaluates how well leaders manage conflict. Good leaders see conflict as an opportunity for growth and creativity. They address issues directly, even if it’s unpopular.
Avoiding conflict doesn't solve problems; it makes them worse. Leaders who avoid conflict let meetings drift and poor performance slide, creating a toxic environment.
Practices of a Conflict Competent Leader:
🗣️ Lean into conflict. Notice and address disagreements, giving space for diverse views. If you can't resolve an issue immediately, revisit it later.
📖 Teach conflict skills. Foster team trust by teaching respectful disagreement. Constructive dissent strengthens team culture.
🔥 Raise tough topics. Address issues directly. Initiate hard conversations, tackle controversial topics, and make necessary decisions.
🚫 Don’t tolerate jerks. Set clear expectations for everyone. A toxic culture is more damaging than the contributions of a high-performing bully.
Leaders must confront conflict directly to prevent issues from festering and maintain team accountability.
True leadership involves the courage to address challenges ➡️ HEAD-ON.
YOU JUST CAN'T WISH AWAY YOUR POWER.
