Cultivating Conflict

There was a time in the not so far reaching past that I did whatever it took to avoid any kind of conflict.  I was, in short, scared of it.  And, even though tough issues were left unresolved, I felt "temporarily" more at ease to keep the peace rather than allow healthy disagreements to occur.

Today, I'll have to admit, there's a part of me that enjoys some levels of the intensive back-and-forth sharing of opinions. Pressing through the initial fear, I've found more reward. And, what I've learned is, if handled in the right way, conflict can actually foster a deeper trust among the team. Furthermore, leaders need to "stir the pot" and encourage the wrestling of issues that are important for moving forward.  So, here's the challenge to leaders of groups and teams: Don't be sissy with a struggle; rather, cultivate the conflict...and, let healthy honesty around the table rule the day.

What healthy, but maybe controversial discussion do you need to let happen and possibly encourage in your next team meeting?