3 ways workplace conflict can actually be a good thing

A Stanford professor and a Silicon Valley executive explain why avoiding conflicts and seeking consensus often lead to worse decisions.

In a modern organization, forward-looking leaders seek breakthroughs, expect a steady flow of innovative ideas from their staff, and make bold bets to win big. However, our decades of research and hands-on experience suggest that without changing the way key decisions are made, these big goals are hard to achieve. What is the main obstacle? Too often it’s the overrated value of consensus and the organizational tendency to avoid conflicts at all costs.