Don’t just resolve conflict— foster teamwork maximizer vs. restorative
Is there a work-related task you dread? For me, it’s focusing on what’s broken in any given situation. Rather than worrying about what isn’t working, I want to focus on the big picture: overall goals, what’s going well, and how we can improve the product or presentation by taking it from where it is now (good) to where we want it to be (great). The nitty gritty details? Meh. Not my thing.
The reason I feel that way is that one of my top 5 CliftonStrengths is Maximizer. People like me, who have this strength, want to maximize return on investment. We want to focus on strengths and manage around weaknesses. Employees obsessed with fixing weakness can drive us nuts. To Maximizers, focusing on and fixing problems feels like a waste of valuable time. We’d much rather use that time to transform something strong into something superb.
By contrast, one of my work colleagues has the CliftonStrength of Restorative, which means she loves to find a problem and fix it. Possible trouble spots don’t intimidate people with the strength of Restorative. Instead, they provide fuel for their creativity and problem-solving skills. People with this strength tend to be impatient with people like me, who have the CliftonStrength of Maximizer, because they feel like we simply overlook problems and assume they’ll disappear. They take the opposing view and feel that if problems aren’t addressed now, they’ll escalate in the future.
Potential For Conflict
Can you see the potential conflict inherent in these vastly different viewpoints?
Without understanding one another’s strengths, our partnership could easily disintegrate into two unhappy colleagues producing less-than-stellar results.
But because we emphasize our strengths, our partnership is successful. When we create a presentation, I begin with big picture concepts, focusing on our overarching goals and creating an excellent client experience. Then she brings out the red pen, edits it, and tweaks it until we have a presentation that we both feel good about. The end result is that we create a better product for our clients.
As a manager, count yourself as lucky if you have employees with both of these perspectives. It’s important to recognize that they both add value. For them to function well together, however, they need to understand and appreciate the other person’s strengths, how that affects their perspective, and how those strengths can benefit the team as a whole.
What Can You Do?
When employees have contrasting strengths, it’s imperative to help them see the value the other brings to the table. Millennial Guru can identify each employees’ CliftonStrengths and help them understand not only why they prefer to work the way they do, but why other people work differently—and how their different strengths benefit your company as a whole.
When people can understand and appreciate one another’s skill sets, it minimizes misunderstandings and conflict. That means they can partner on projects like the one above more efficiently and effectively, leading to better productivity and results for you.
How Millennial Guru Can Help
Millennial Guru would love to help you get the most from your employees! Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll walk through how we assess employees, the types of workshops we offer, and how we can tailor a program to meet your needs. Let’s work together to empower your employees to bring their A-game. Every. Single. Day.