How do you handle innovation conflicts?

1 Define the problem

The first step to handle any conflict is to understand the nature and scope of the problem. What are the sources and causes of the conflict? Who are the stakeholders and what are their interests and perspectives? What are the goals and criteria for a successful solution? Defining the problem clearly and objectively can help you avoid assumptions, biases, and misunderstandings that can escalate the conflict.

2 Communicate openly

Communication is key to resolving any conflict, especially when it involves innovation. You need to communicate openly and respectfully with all the parties involved, listen to their feedback and concerns, and share your ideas and expectations. Communication can help you build trust, empathy, and collaboration, as well as identify common ground and potential solutions. You can use various tools and methods to facilitate communication, such as brainstorming, surveys, focus groups, or workshops.

3 Embrace diversity

Innovation thrives on diversity, as it brings different perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table. However, diversity can also create conflict, as people may have different opinions, values, and preferences. Instead of seeing diversity as a threat or a barrier, you should embrace it as an opportunity and a resource. You can leverage diversity to generate more ideas, challenge assumptions, and improve solutions. You can also foster a culture of inclusion, respect, and appreciation for diversity in your organization.

4 Manage emotions

Innovation can be an emotional process, as it involves creativity, passion, and risk-taking. However, emotions can also interfere with rational decision-making and problem-solving, as well as trigger or worsen conflicts. You need to manage your emotions and those of others effectively, by acknowledging, expressing, and regulating them appropriately. You can use techniques such as mindfulness, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence to cope with stress, frustration, and anxiety, and to foster positive emotions such as curiosity, enthusiasm, and optimism.

5 Negotiate and compromise

Innovation often requires negotiation and compromise, as you may have to balance competing interests, trade-offs, and constraints. You need to negotiate and compromise in a fair and constructive way, by focusing on the interests and needs of all the parties, rather than on their positions or demands. You can use strategies such as win-win, integrative, or collaborative negotiation to create value and achieve mutual satisfaction. You can also use criteria such as feasibility, desirability, and viability to evaluate and compare different options.

6 Learn and improve

Innovation is a learning process, as you experiment, test, and iterate your solutions. However, learning also involves failure, feedback, and adaptation, which can be sources of conflict. You need to learn and improve from your innovation conflicts, by reflecting on your actions and outcomes, seeking and giving constructive feedback, and making adjustments and improvements. You can use tools such as feedback loops, after-action reviews, or lessons learned to capture and apply the learning from your innovation conflicts.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?