Conflict in the workplace is a part of life, but how it’s handled can mean the difference between success and failure.

Productivity and conflict are not opposites. In fact, productively addressing conflict is what keeps a company functioning and thriving. 

 

The ideas below were first published in my CEO Today article:Co-Founder Conflict: Productive or Destructive?

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Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in!

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Conflicts are inevitable. How do you stop destructive conflict from eroding your business?

Here's how to create a healthy working environment for everyone involved:   

1. Maintain and protect a regularly scheduled meeting just with your co-founder(s). Meet in person when you can, by video meeting as a second option, and by telephone if needed. Move beyond tactics and to-do’s to discuss how you’re each feeling, what’s next for the business, what’s happening that’s great and risks to be aware of. This should not be a superficial meeting!

 

1. Resolve One Open Thing (ROOT ™) with your co-founder or team member. Consider those topics and friction points that come up again and again. Get to the root of what’s happening. This can take a lot of discussion and introspection. What seems to be the cause is often just a symptom of something else.   Resolving one open thing can make all the difference in keeping a team focused, positive and productive. Resolving recurring conflicts opens up time to create new services, and products and grow your team.

     

1. Take a DiSC Productive Conflict Assessment to find out how you and your co-founders deal with conflict. Review results as a team with your coach. This is something I do with clients on a regular basis and it gives each person valuable perspective.  

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We all experience conflict—but that doesn’t mean it has to be destructive. Be aware of making your conflicts constructive and helpful, not hurtful and damaging.

Here are more co-founder resources to help grow and sustain your business.

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