How To Encourage Healthy Debate Within Your Team?
Diversity is among the key foundations needed to thrive in the corporate world. When a diverse team comes together, the differences in each member’s culture, upbringing, opinions, and the like can contribute to serving clients and audiences better. Similarly, the leaders also benefit when they receive input from everyone in their team. Hearing their thoughts and ideas that came from different backgrounds and experiences helps the leaders create more informed decisions and steps and contribute to team development.
While this dynamic may be idealistic, there will inevitably be occasional disagreements and debates due to this. And although challenging one another and sharing differing opinions are all part of the brainstorming process, this can sometimes lead to conflict within the team, which is never healthy. Thus, team leaders must build a solid and trusting culture and encourage a healthy and respectful debate among their team members.
Being a leader entails numerous responsibilities, which can be challenging at times, especially when there is a conflict within your team. Setting ground rules and developing innovative strategies can help your members feel comfortable bringing their ideas forward. Below are some tips on how you can encourage a healthy debate within your team.
Be clear on your goals and missions
Before starting a meeting or brainstorming session, the leader must establish what should be the goals and mission of the team. When debates start, collectively you will be focused on accomplishing a specific task. Being clear on what you are aiming to achieve through the discussion will allow your team to prevent being sidetracked. And instead, engage in a more productive conversation. By doing this, your meeting will be more of a goal-oriented collaboration.
Practice and reinforce active listening
Getting your point across is an essential factor of communication. As a speaker, you must ensure that the message of what you are saying is understood. However, communication is not just about talking; listening should also be a part of it. When you listen, don’t just focus on the words from the speaker but also on the message they want to convey and their body language. This is what active listening is all about. It is the process of preparing yourself to comprehend verbal and nonverbal messages that are being sent to ensure that you are going to respond appropriately.
Be humble in approaching discussions
o encourage a healthy debate within your team, you should never forget to be humble. Whenever you start a brainstorming session, always bear in mind that you may have more to learn than to tell. While there is nothing wrong with being proud of your ideas, you must be mindful to not come off as boastful. Reminding yourself and your team that everyone has something to teach you can help set a norm within your team that every opinion and perspective is valid.
Publicly admit and apologize for your mistakes
They say to err is human, and this is true. It does not matter whether you are a team leader or a member; making mistakes is normal. Therefore, if you do make mistakes, you, as a leader, must know how to address them. Publicly admitting and apologizing for your mistakes sets an example for your members so they can do the same. This might seem small, but this builds mutual trust and respect within your team.
Establish a safe space
As mentioned earlier, most organizations thrive on diversity. But the differences may cause sporadic misunderstandings. Thus, as a team leader, you must establish a safe space for your members. You have to build a space where everyone is given a platform to share their different experiences comfortably. Being heard and represented is a crucial element in fostering an ongoing dialogue.
Encourage curiosity
During a brainstorming session, it is more likely that creative ideas will present themselves. As a leader, you must commit to building a culture of curiosity. This can be achieved by asking questions and encouraging the members to do the same. Encouraging curiosity among your team allows you to show your members that you are genuinely interested in their suggestions, and you can make them feel listened to.
Establish a rule that disrespect will not be tolerated
While diversity brings many great things to the table, it can also cause conflict between members, especially if there is disrespect. As a leader, this is where you should stand your ground. Establishing in your team that any form of disrespect will be called out can contribute to developing a healthy discourse among your group. Setting a “no jerks will be tolerated” rule can help you send a message to your members that their opinions and concerns are valid as long as they are respectful.
Walk the talk
Walking your talk allows your members to see that you are a credible leader. You cannot establish rules within your group and act differently yourself. A healthy debate can only begin within your team if you, as a leader, start to be the change you want to see. You must know how to tackle your values first.
Build a good rapport with your members
While leaders are the ones who should be responsible for implementing rules, you should never feel indifferent to your members. Having a good rapport with your team can enhance mutual trust and respect, which they can bring while you are in debate..
Seek the best idea
Many ideas will be thrown out during workplace debates. And while it is tempting to choose many ideas, you must learn how to be firm in selecting the best one, even if it means setting aside your own proposal. To ensure a healthy discussion among you and your members, you must leave your ego at the door and focus on your goals as a team.
Being a mediator among a sea of various suggestions can certainly be overwhelming. But being equipped with knowledge on how to build a healthy debate in your team can tremendously help you lead. So, if you want more tips on how leaders can build high performing teams, you can check Corporate Learning Solutions’ leadership and management courses at www.corplearn.com.au.
