Every organisation strives for effective teams. When teams function well together, they bring out the best in each member, collaborate seamlessly, and there is a clear understanding of their contributions to the organisation. This leads to higher employee engagement scores, quicker decision-making, and increased productivity. Ultimately, everyone understands that teamwork not only enhances productivity, but also makes work more enjoyable.

People who work together often like each other, get along well and spend a lot of time together. But is that enough to create a cohesive team? Unfortunately, no. When team members like each other, they may avoid conflict to maintain harmony, which can be counterproductive.

When discussing how to build effective teams, at Firefly we often refer to the work of Patrick Lencioni. In his book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” he explains the five main problems teams face: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results. 

Truly cohesive teams require a bit of grit that comes from productive conflict. They must challenge each other openly and freely about their ideas, concepts, and decisions (not about their personal traits).

Some might think that advocating for conflict means encouraging arguments in team meetings, but that's not the case. For instance, if one team member sets a deadline and another disagrees, two outcomes are possible. Without productive conflict, the dissenting member may leave the meeting, thinking, "That won't work," and later undermine the idea. With productive conflict, the disagreement is addressed in real time. The dissenting member might say, "I'm not sure that will work, let's consider an alternative." By the team working together to find a solution, they achieve collective commitment. As Patrick Lencioni says “when people weigh in, they are more likely to buy in”. Consensus is not necessary; not everyone has to agree on every detail, but having the opportunity to voice their opinions helps everyone buy into the overall solution.

This is also where a “collaborative mindset” comes into play. It might seem like a buzzword, but it’s about intentionally choosing between competition and collaboration. Sometimes competition can spur better performance, but more often, knowing you’re there to support each other rather than tear each other down yields better results.

Despite the instinct to avoid conflict, it is actually essential for building a truly effective team. However, it’s important to ensure that conflict is handled in a healthy manner. To overcome a fear of conflict, start by establishing shared rules for healthy debate, let your team know that disagreement is not only acceptable but encouraged - as long as it is respectful and constructive. Thank team members who raise a problem or disagreement. When conflicts are successfully resolved, share these stories openly (when appropriate) with the wider organisation as examples of constructive conflict or compromise, rather than treating them as awkward secrets to be concealed.

Additionally, ensure any significant disagreements are mediated as they arise to ensure that relationships are improved by the experience rather than diminished.