There's an old saying that if two people always agree, neither of them will make a difference. There is nothing special to suggest that having different opinions fosters creativity, innovation, and problem solving. Or when team members challenge each other's ideas, stronger discussions and better solutions often result.
Yet despite the clarity of this understanding, most leaders struggle to maintain the necessary healthy conflict and disagreement. For example, the Leadership IQ survey on leadership team effectiveness found that 14% of senior executives strongly agree that members of their executive team have a problem with disagreement. The survey found that 28% of executive team members believe that everyone on the team participates and contributes voluntarily.
To create healthy conflict, you need a leader who won't panic at the first signs of conflict. One such leader is Michael Skipworth, CEO of Wingstop Restaurants Inc. President and CEO, a multi-billion dollar global restaurant chain with nearly 2,000 locations worldwide.
In a recent conversation, Skipworth told me that healthy conflict is a powerful way to bring out different ideas and opinions from all the smart people around. "Early in my career, I realized the value of surrounding myself with smart people," he told me, "and most of them are probably smarter than me. It helps you make better decisions. But it takes work to build trust. Foster healthy conflict so you can realize your big ideas together Drawing on Patrick Lancioni's framework, trust is Skipworth's foundation for healthy conflict, and it starts with vulnerability.
"When I show vulnerability, it creates an environment where others feel like they can be hurt as well. I can admit my mistakes, ask for help, get other people's perspectives, and really appreciate the ideas of everyone in the room. When I do that I can create a environment where people can push me and others. And that's what it means." We begin to see the argument.
Most leaders theoretically stress the importance of healthy conflict and push their teams to compete against each other. But very few people make the extra effort to do so. Imagine giving your team an idea and if no one disagrees with you when you ask, no one will. Most managers see this as a sign that all is well. Skipworth takes a different view: “If I do a presentation with my team and make a decision and one person stays silent, I think they won't agree. If you don't share your point of view, I assume you don't agree with our decision.
If the purpose of bringing together a room full of smart people is to get their ideas, it's not enough to just let them sit quietly; Leaders must work hard to promote these great ideas. Sounds simple, but it takes effort to convince people that you really want to hear disagreements. In fact, a study titled "Managers Don't Like Innovators" found that 60% of employees said their company always or often prefers people who quietly follow directions. This is a level of conflict aversion that conflict leaders must overcome.
For Skipworth, vulnerability, trust and healthy conflict are not limited to the executive team. Interaction and communication occur in the organization. He tells me: “Every Monday we have a meeting of leaders. And we won't end the meeting until we all agree on the verbal communication that should result. My team will meet with their teams and then their direct reports will meet with their teams and so on. We distribute our communications in a disciplined manner each week.
It is almost impossible for leaders to talk anymore. Businesses can send a lot of emails and memos, but when those messages don't contain meaningful information, it becomes exhausting for employees. A survey by Leadership IQ found that only 20% of employees say their leader shares the company's challenges. And when leaders share these concerns, employees are ten times more likely to recommend the company as a great employer.
People want to know what's going on. Skipworth understood this and told me, “I send a lot of notes to the group. For example, when we finish the board of directors, there is always curiosity in companies. As we discussed in the council meeting, everyone really likes the nobles. So after that, I sent a note to the organization and let them know what we were talking about.
He also hosts a quarterly general meeting called the NETMA, an old Wingstop tradition that says, "No one tells me anything." "We cover business improvements," he says. "I'm talking about the business, our results and the core activities we implement. We also respect people. We appreciate people who come to Wingstop for the first time. They want what they want."
Many aspects of leadership are easy, but that doesn't mean they're easy. There are countless smart people working in companies today, but it takes courage to start the conversation and network to get your ideas. It takes work to spend time writing messages at the end of each meeting. Or discuss immediately after the board meeting. Or ask people who are silent during the meeting. But as the Wingstop CEO points out, leaders who show their strength and courage gain insights that most leaders don't.