BUSINESS WEST MEMBER NEWS inform


Why conflict can be positive for your team


By PAUL BROWNING, Director, Trilogy Psychometrics


T


here is a widely held belief that conflict within teams is bad for morale,


productivity and creativity. Furthermore, that leading such a team can be stressful, exhausting and unproductive. Surely it would be better if peace and harmony prevailed and everyone just got along with each other? Well, not really.


The truth is that a team almost certainly won’t be more productive or more effective if conflict is eliminated. The key to understanding why lies in the ability to clearly distinguish between distinct types of conflict. Clearly, certain types of conflict can be negative and, if left to escalate, it can lead to the point where members feel undermined or undervalued. Meanwhile, internal politics can often lead to an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion, and people in teams and those who lead them need to be vigilant against this type of conflict. However, conflict that is borne


out of a passionate desire to achieve the team’s objectives can be embraced and sometimes even encouraged. Committed team members who feel free to express


‘Conflict that


is borne out of a passionate desire to achieve the team’s objectives can be


embraced’


their views and free to


challenge each other are likely


to encourage other members to do likewise. Thus,


the team benefits from a larger number of individual


perspectives and therefore often makes better and more informed decisions.


Heterogeneous teams (teams


which contain a variety of personality types) spend more time in debate but again are more likely to come to better decisions. Teams which consist of similar personality types tend to see things the same way and come to decisions quicker but may be flawed as the team may have overlooked prominent issues. Teams who are little more than


a collection of scared executives nodding their approval at the


rantings of the Alpha male or female have little chance of the right type of conflict. This is because little or no trust exists. Without trust, team members


are unlikely to admit to mistakes or share key or personal information, meaning they cannot be as effective when communicating with other members of the team as they feel that they are expected to act or behave as the work environment or culture expects. However, when we do feel comfortable enough to trust our team members we can ask for help, be open to opposing views and not simply reject other people’s perspectives because they differ from our own. As a huge bonus, this is likely to


mean a reduction of the political manoeuvring that creates unproductive conflicts which are often so distracting and unproductive.


Businesses get behind St George


A businesswoman and award-winning society hairdresser is one of the latest major donors to support St George’s Bristol and its ‘Building a Sound Future Appeal’. Egidia Bonomini is one of 97 major donors and corporates who have agreed to help raise money towards the concert hall’s ambitious £6.3m extension project – by joining the Apollo Club. Trustees and staff at St George’s, a registered


charity, are urging supporters of the arts to come forward to take up the remaining three Apollo Club places. Each club member gives £5,000 – or five annual donations of £1,000 – to sponsor one of the 100 glass ‘roundel’ sections of the dramatic Apollo sculpture, which will hang in the extension’s foyer. Designed by Bristol-based international artist Luke


Jerram – whose other works include ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ and ‘Park and Slide’ – it is named after Apollo, the Greek god of music. Funding towards St George’s extension has also


come from Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Bristol City Council, charitable trusts and


Model of St George’s Bristol IN BRIEF


Join Fig offices for their open day to celebrate the opening of Fig Gloucester. They’re inviting the Gloucester business community to pop in, do some networking, view their space and celebrate with the team on 5 October. The brand new refurbished serviced offices are located at Southgate House, Southgate Street, Gloucester and they will be open from 10am to 4pm, so if you'd like to join in, Fig will have bacon rolls for breakfast, and a lunch buffet in the afternoon. Book here:


www.businesswest.co.uk/me mbers/events/fig-offices- southgate-house-gloucester


Local company SSG Training and Consultancy have become the most recent organisation to adopt the Armed Forces Covenant in the South West; one of only 1,300 businesses across the UK to have done so already. The Armed Forces Covenant


is a promise from the nation, ensuring that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly. Businesses, from sole-traders to multinational, public bodies or charities who wish to support the Armed Forces community can sign the covenant and publicly declare their commitments.


Extraordinary new images have given a clear picture of a mystery wreckage discovered in the shifting sands of the Severn Estuary. Bristol Port’s hydrographic


foundations. And the registered charity is running a crowdfund appeal, with donations starting from £5. Other Apollo Club members include corporates such


as Sift, Burges Salmon, and Clifton College, as well as the region’s leading arts patrons.


For further details of how to support the Apollo Club fundraising campaign go to buildingasoundfuture.co.uk or call 0117 929 4929.


team captured images of The Brunswick cargo vessel during a routine survey of the Harbour Area. The well-preserved remains of the vessel are around 65m long by 9m wide with a bridge midships and a likely cargo hold on the foredeck, which Historic England confirmed that it is very likely to be the steam ship The Brunswick. The Brunswick was a steel


screw steamer built in 1898, which sunk two years later in 1900.


SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 insight 11


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