How can you help senior executives manage conflicts arising from differing priorities within the team?

Executive teams must be able to prioritize multiple issues, generally over 50 at the corporate level, generating action plans that impact the different levels of analysis (capabilities, identities, relationships, institutional structure, and culture). Therefore, planning must consider strengthening the capacity to undertake difficult conversations and systematically analyze and generate information to evaluate impacts.

One thing I've found helpful when leaders are experiencing conflict on teams is to look at the formula Situation + Behavior = Impact. This simple formula allows the leaders to determine which behaviors are influencing their outcome and allows those leaders to take responsibility for their part in the conflict.

The highest performing athlete watch film of their own performances with a coach to look for ways to improve. The best sellers will listen to recordings of their calls to see how they can increase their efficiency. So why aren't you asking your coach to go over your game film? Record your team meetings, the one on ones, and even let your coach read through the emails you send out to evaluate the spoken, written, and body language you use with your team. Does it convey and model the effective and open communication to your team that you think it does? Where can you make improvements?

Encouraging open dialogue within a team is akin to unlocking the floodgates of creativity and resolution. When team members can express their viewpoints without fear, the real magic happens. As a leadership coach, guide executives to foster an environment where transparency and respect reign supreme. Facilitate sessions where all parties can discuss their priorities openly, aiming to understand the "why" behind each stance. I challenge you to implement a 'Voice of the Team' session in your next meeting. Encourage everyone to share their perspectives and ensure that the quieter voices are heard too. This approach will not only resolve conflicts but also unleash a wealth of innovative ideas.

Create a safe environment for team members to freely express their opinions. Guide the conversations between teams. If there are 2 equally good solutions, as a leader make a decision and commit to it. Don't find common ground and try to do both, which might result in hurting the overall company's goals.

Aligning goals within a team is like tuning an orchestra—every instrument must play in harmony to create a beautiful symphony. As a coach, your role is to help executives ensure that individual and team goals are in sync with organizational objectives. This alignment clarifies priorities and reduces conflicts. Encourage executives to hold regular strategy sessions where team members can see the bigger picture and understand their role in achieving it. I challenge you to introduce a 'Strategic Alignment Day' where the team revisits their goals and adjusts them to ensure they are aligned with the company's mission. This will not only resolve conflicts but also inspire a collective drive towards success.

Start by defining clear organizational objectives and aligning team members on how their priorities contribute to these goals. Develop criteria for decision-making that consider urgency, impact, resource availability, and strategic alignment, and use a decision matrix to objectively evaluate and prioritize tasks. Encourage open dialogue to ensure all perspectives are considered, document decisions and their rationale for transparency, and regularly review and adjust the framework based on feedback and changing circumstances. This approach helps manage conflicts effectively and aligns team efforts with organizational goals.

This is where we align teams to call an "apple" an "apple." Decision frameworks are essential for tackling complex problems, providing structure and clarity. However, as a senior executive, it's equally crucial to integrate your intuition into the decision-making process. Your gut feeling, shaped by experience and insight, plays a vital role in making the final call. Balancing analytical frameworks with intuitive judgment ensures well-rounded and effective decisions.

One of the most important skills when dealing with conflicts arising from differences in priorities is the coaching concept of widening perspectives. Instead of "fighting for your cause" as if your department is competing with the other department, or your priorities with those of the other person; expand your perspective. Stop thinking as the "owner" of this area and think as the "owner" of the company. If you were the CEO or President of the company what is the most important priority from those that are competing. What would the CEO do? is the question that usually will bring the big picture to the table and will break the tie on the competing priorities.

Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a crucial role in this area. Executives with high EI are better equipped to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics. Another key aspect is the ability to create a 'psychological safety' environment where team members feel comfortable expressing differing and contradictory opinions. This not only prevents conflicts from escalating but also fosters innovation. Also using role-play can be an effective way for execs to practice their conflict resolution skills in a low-stakes environment, making them better prepared for real-world conflicts.

Ajudar executivos sêniores a gerenciar conflitos dentro da equipe envolve uma abordagem estratégica e multifacetada, como: 1. Avaliação Inicial 2. Desenvolvimento de Habilidades de Comunicação 3. Facilitação de Reuniões de Alinhamento 4. Estabelecimento de Prioridades Claras 5. Desenvolvimento de um Plano de Ação Conjunto 6. Implementação de Processos de Gestão de Conflitos 7. Incentivo à Colaboração e Trabalho em Equipe 8. Desenvolvimento de Habilidades de Liderança 9. Monitoramento e Avaliação 10. Foco no Desenvolvimento Pessoal e Profissional Usando essas estratégias, é possível ajudar executivos sêniores a gerenciarem conflitos de prioridades de maneira eficaz, promovendo um ambiente de trabalho mais harmonioso e produtivo.

Conflicts among senior executives are often subtle and arise out of the struggle between ego and self-esteem. Following are some of the ways to address them. 1. Open the black box even if It sounds scary. It means let the conflict be out and open. 2. Have an authentic dialogue filtering between individual and organization interests. 3. Focus on what is in the organization's interest even if it means ruffling feathers but do it respectfully. 4. Close the loop and carve our actions with accountability to move on. Don't delay making decisions. Identifying decisions but not taking action is like staring at an injection and refusing it due to potential pain.