I have a confession – I’m not big on confrontation. I typically prefer to go with the flow and be seen as easygoing rather than disruptive. However, a segment Marketplace aired on its radio program last week got me thinking I may need to reconsider my agreeable ways, at least when I’m at work anyway.
According to a Columbia University study, tension among colleagues stemming from diverse expertise and professional backgrounds led to the most innovative teams.
While it may seem counterintuitive to encourage discord over harmony, the study’s author, David Stark, explains, “Misunderstandings and breakdowns in communication can be as important as a smooth exchange of ideas.” The discussions initiated by these lapses in communication can bring clarity and lead to new solutions that may not have been apparent before.
Here are four tips on how to successfully incorporate creative tension within your organization:
- Hire employees with different working styles and experiences – At Communiqué, our team members’ experience range from working in healthcare public relations to teaching high school English, with some having spent years at larger firms before joining CPR and others who came from small agencies. This mix has yielded an intelligent, creative and resourceful group that brings unique perspectives to everyday activities such as brainstorming byline titles and mapping out a new client proposal. When interviewing candidates without tech or PR experience, we look for which skills attained from their previous roles may transfer over and benefit the firm.
- Lay a foundation of trust to ease the tension – With disagreement inevitably comes friction, so it’s important to create trust within the organization. Stark notes, “If you all ironed out your differences you wouldn’t be able to come up with something new. So it’s this kind of ability to hold tight, put up with the ambiguity, tolerate that tension, and turn it into something that’s productive.” Develop trust by always being honest and respectful and by creating a shared vision with your team.
- Experiment with account teams – Stark also encourages creativity when it comes to building out teams. Instead of even-splitting a group of 10 into two teams of five people, he suggests creating two teams of six and seven with some members serving on both teams. Stark believes this type of division is necessary as innovative organizations require overlap. In his study of video game companies, Stark found when a team included members that had worked together before and had dissimilar knowledge, their team was most likely to create inventive and critically acclaimed video games.
- Set deadlines – While different thoughts and ideas are critical to success, you must establish deadlines for revisions and commit to them. Otherwise, a draft of a press release will continue to go through endless rounds of edits without accomplishing its main purpose of reaching media.
The next time you hesitate to share your opinion with a colleague, remember that the best concepts are often a result of collaboration. Drawing from past experiences and challenging yourself to embrace the discomfort will ensure co-workers and clients increasingly value your contributions.