Our IDS sessions are very polite, but we rarely solve the root causes of our problems because our leaders are afraid of creating conflict or hurting each other's feelings. How do we encourage healthy conflict during IDS?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Polite IDS® sessions are useless. If your team is more focused on protecting feelings than finding the truth, you are settling for superficial solutions that will fail as soon as the meeting ends. True traction requires a healthy amount of friction.

To cultivate healthy conflict, the leadership team must embrace the core value of trust. You must build an environment where everyone feels safe to speak their mind without fear of political retaliation.

The facilitator can encourage this by actively hunting for conflict. If you notice a leader nodding along but looking uncomfortable, call them out. Ask them directly what they are not saying.

Use the IDS® framework to keep the discussion objective. Focus on the root cause of the issue, not the person. Frame the problem as the enemy, not each other.

When conflict does arise, do not shut it down. Let the team debate, as long as it remains constructive and focused on the solution. Once the debate has run its course, push for a decision. Remember, a good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan next week. Encourage your team to disagree, commit, and move forward.