When you think about conflict, what comes to mind?

You probably think of arguments, misunderstandings, and disagreement. But conflict on a team is actually a sign that your team is working towards success not failure! It’s a natural part of human interaction when it's done in a HEALTHY way.

In fact, research has shown that constructive conflict within teams can lead to increased creativity and innovation. According to a study by Charlan Nemeth, a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley, groups that engaged in healthy debate generated more original ideas than those that did not.

Yes, you read that correctly: healthy conflict can lead to greater creativity, but also improved problem-solving and stronger relationships! That's because conflict encourages teams to evaluate different perspectives and ideas critically. While conflict may initially create tension, resolving it can also strengthen relationships and foster a sense of unity within the...

Picture this: you're making your way through your work day and walk past the desk of an employee who hasn't been following through on their duties. You know this has been happening for quite some time but there's been no improvement. It's time to have a difficult conversation but you are most definitely not looking forward to it.

In fact, you are both internally and externally cringing at the thought of sitting down to have that discussion.

You are not alone.

Most people do not look forward to having difficult conversations, myself included. But in the last decade as a business owner, I have had to have countless hard conversations as the leader running a team, having clients, and being a service provider.

Yes, I've even had to have hard conversations WITH my clients!

If I didn't, I wouldn't even have a business.

The same is true for my personal relationships. I've seen firsthand how having a difficult conversation, while it can be super uncomfortable, ...