Creativity Central [Marty Baker]

Two words.  Robert De niro

In one corner you’ve got the raging bull – Jake LaMotta in a 3-piece suit.  In the other, Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle – a quiet, simmering time bomb draped in a casual Friday Polo shirt.  And in the middle, a lot of corporate chameleons not sure what color to change.

Most of us wish for a harmonious, up-with-people kind of workplace. Conversation, not  annihilation. 

But according to business consultancy eePulse, “the problem is that a peaceful, harmonious  workplace can be the worst possible thing.”

Saj-nicole A. Joni and Damon Beyer, have written a provocative article in the Harvard Business Review on how leaders can create the kind of conflict that sparks creativity and innovation.

“Most leadership experts argue that the best way to manage change is to create alignment, but our research indicates that for large-scale change or innovation initiatives, a healthy dose of dissent is just as important. Within an acceptable range of competition and tension, science shows, dissent will fire up more of an individuals brain, stimulating more pathways and engaging more creative centers. “

This is not a comfort zone solution for most companies. It’s counter-intuitive.  And it just may actually work. 

I have worked for companies ranging Fortune 500 companies to two-person startups, and I’ve watched how people interact when tensions mount.  It’s like watching an Olympic skater fall in the medal round.  There’s a collective wince in the room.

The problem is that most arguments are not about ideas – they are about ego.  The argument becomes internalized and personalized.  Essentially, love me, love my ideas.

I believe that there are two general types of tension -- dynamic Iwhich improves performance] and disruptive [which decreases performance].  But where's the sweet spot?  While I typically like a grass roots or a bottom up approach -- this has to start with leaders.  They set the tone and they need the training. This is where outsourced consultants are ideal.  They don't have a bias (except for the profit). 

Here's one extreme story:

When I worked at a large advertising agency in California, the creative director got up in the middle of a client meeting and said to senior client, “I will tolerate just about anything but you sir are a jerk. You are behaving like a jerk and treating my team with disrespect.  So, I am leaving.”

Two things happened. We eventually lost the account. But surprisingly, the client behaved like a gentleman from that time on. It may have been the first time anyone had challenged him in front of his staff. 

The core of Joni and Beyer's thesis is that there's a sweet spot between illusory harmony and downright Gordon Gecko nastiness. 

So what’s the right way to “fight?”

According to Joni and Beyer, there are some smart rules of engagement.

To determine how well a battle is being fought, ask yourself:

Rulebook

Are there clear boundaries for conduct and behavior?

Are people with dissenting points of view encouraged to speak up?

Are mechanisms I place to keep the debate on a professional level?

(One technique I’ve use in my Inotivity Seminars to diffuse and reuse anger is to have people switch sides and promote or defend the other person’s idea or perspective.)

Referees

Is the leader neutral or genuinely open to differing points of view?

Does the leader keep the debate on track and enforce the rules?

Does the leader create the sense that competition us fact based and fair?

Playing Field

Does each side of the debate have realistic chance to win?

Is it clear how a resolution will be reached – by a decision from the top, a major vote or consensus?

Gaps to Exploit

Do different groups have different agendas based on their roles?

Does each group have a specific objective to champion?

Relationships

 Is there trust that individuals will deliver on their commitments and behave with integrity?

Will leaders throughout the organization test perspectives up and down the hierarchy?

Energy Levels

Are tension levels high enough to promote optimum performance?

Do leaders have good sense of what people care about, and are those passions used to motivate performance?

Outcomes

Can the leader give people bad news without damaging personal relationships?

Is there dignity in losing an is risk taking rewarded?