Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
People often claim that arguments and disagreements lead to negative effects on a personal and team level. However, in many cases, constructive arguments proved to lead to positive results such as creative ideas and resolving conflict.
What are your views and opinion on this ? and what do you consider as a constructive argument ? Saving Changes...
Constructive arguments/debates are necessary and are in fact one of the key reasons we as individuals and as a society progress at all. In order to improve we need to argue/debate that something is either wrong, can be improved or is complimentary by its addition.
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Nov 19, 2019 2:17 AM
Rami Kaibni
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That is very true Sante, constructive debate promotes creativity but the most important thing is to maintain it in a constructive manner otherwise it will end up with a negative effect.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Nov 19, 2019 2:15 AM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Constructive arguments/debates are necessary and are in fact one of the key reasons we as individuals and as a society progress at all. In order to improve we need to argue/debate that something is either wrong, can be improved or is complimentary by its addition.
That is very true Sante, constructive debate promotes creativity but the most important thing is to maintain it in a constructive manner otherwise it will end up with a negative effect. Saving Changes...
I prefer calling it a “Pick-Persuade Path” . To make sure the team work be finished successfully or the target be achieved effectively, discussing often hold by facilitators. One theme or two themes should be clarified by facilitator before organize a formal or informal meeting or discussing. Through the argument, team members come up with various of personal opinion. The facilitator should control the process to make sure the argument developing towards the "right" direction. While the argument finished, a result should be picked up as a reliable suggestion or solution. However this kind of discussing is not a negotiation, I don't think we need to consider the "win-win" result or "win-loss" result. If necessary, the only thing we need to do after the argument is to persuade those "losers" trust the opinion of the "winner", and follow the final decision.
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Nov 19, 2019 11:04 AM
Rami Kaibni
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Lin Yin
Thanks for your input. The name “Pick-Persuade Path” is interesting but I can relate to it based on your elaboration in your response. In many cases, you might not have the luxury to have a facilitator so as a PM or team leader, you need to have the skill to lead any constructive debate or arguments and ensure it reaches to a happy medium. I agree, constructive arguments do not always end with win-win but the most important thing is to maintain team spirit and reach a happy medium acceptable but all or end up with a creative solution as constructive debate can leads to creative solutions.
RK
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Rami Very interesting your question Thanks for sharing
Conflict can always be viewed positively: - Bring change - Encourage participation - Serve as safety valve - Represent a power source - Favor internal cohesion
But they can be viewed negatively: - They drag to conformism - Consume resources - Offset from objective - They raise suspicion
It depends on the paradigms of the people who are involved in the conflict.
There is a proposal by two psychologists for conflict management Thomas-Kilmann model (known to almost all of us)
The PMI, in addition to this model (5 possible ways to resolve the conflict) proposes to use confrontation (speak in situations as soon as possible in order to find a win-win solution)
It is also important to note that there is a typology for conflicts: - Objective conflicts - Judgment Conflicts - Normative Conflicts
The best structured approach I've read about the most appropriate way to resolve conflict is Stephen Covey's proposal for "public victory" in the 7 habits of highly effective people (Habit 3: Thinking Win-Win, Habit 4: Understanding First Before Being understood and Habit 5: Creating Synergy)
The paradigm is either win-win or nothing done (which in some ways resembles the PMI Confrontation)
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Nov 19, 2019 11:07 AM
Rami Kaibni
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Luis
Thanks for your input, this is great information. However, my question revolves around Constructive Debate or Arguments, not specifically about conflict. There is a difference between constructive debate and conflict. For conflict, I totally agree with the info you provided but for Constructive Debate, there is a different approach for dealing with it as mostly such arguments happens when people are trying to look for solutions (Not when having a conflict over a certain solution) so if those debates are lead properly, they will lead to creativity. Don’t you think so ?
RK
Saving Changes...
Karl TwortSenior Project Manager| Fresh EggUnited Kingdom
Without differing views, you will never uncover alternative/better solutions. As previously mentioned, the key to successful debate is to be constructive, not critical. To accept that working together can bring different viewpoints and solutions.
Having a moderator can help, but as I PM I often play that role and mediate between opposite sides of a discussion.
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Nov 19, 2019 11:09 AM
Rami Kaibni
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Karl
Your feedback is spot on, this is exactly my experience and the key is to maintain constrictive approach, not critisizing approach.
I do not disagree on the use of the word Argument and I agree with what you've mentioned but what if that conflict changes to an argument ? I know some might say that an argument and a conflict are the same, but they are not.
RK
Should the conflict become an argument, then I'd hope that someone on the team (not necessarily always the PM) would identify that things have escalated and would take the necessary steps (depending on the specifics of the situation) to help the two parties re-focus their efforts on resolving the problem than on "beating" each other.
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Nov 19, 2019 11:10 AM
Rami Kaibni
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This is very true for conflicts and arguments. I know you lead lots of training and team Kiron so I have another related question:
In a certain training, assume you are trying to look for a solution with the team, how do you make sure that this debate or discussion remains constructive ?
RK
Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Agree with the sentiments on terminology and perception. Without challenging our way of thinking through observation and listening to others perspectives, than, really, what's the point? You'd be living in a vacuum, which doesn't do anyone any good.
Where things get touchy is the emotional aspect and the perception of another individuals opinion challenging your own.
There should be recognition that individuals do have emotional attachments to their opinions, so from the other end of the conversation, there is a professional (and human) expectation to be respectful of it.
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Nov 19, 2019 11:12 AM
Rami Kaibni
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Andrew
Thanks for your feedback - You touch on a very important fact which is the emotional element in debates or arguments. Part of maintaining a constructive debate is watching for those emotional signs and controlling them, in my point of view. What’s your thoughts on this ?
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Nov 19, 2019 2:36 AM
Replying to Lin Yin
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I prefer calling it a “Pick-Persuade Path” . To make sure the team work be finished successfully or the target be achieved effectively, discussing often hold by facilitators. One theme or two themes should be clarified by facilitator before organize a formal or informal meeting or discussing. Through the argument, team members come up with various of personal opinion. The facilitator should control the process to make sure the argument developing towards the "right" direction. While the argument finished, a result should be picked up as a reliable suggestion or solution. However this kind of discussing is not a negotiation, I don't think we need to consider the "win-win" result or "win-loss" result. If necessary, the only thing we need to do after the argument is to persuade those "losers" trust the opinion of the "winner", and follow the final decision.
Lin Yin
Thanks for your input. The name “Pick-Persuade Path” is interesting but I can relate to it based on your elaboration in your response. In many cases, you might not have the luxury to have a facilitator so as a PM or team leader, you need to have the skill to lead any constructive debate or arguments and ensure it reaches to a happy medium. I agree, constructive arguments do not always end with win-win but the most important thing is to maintain team spirit and reach a happy medium acceptable but all or end up with a creative solution as constructive debate can leads to creative solutions.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Nov 19, 2019 4:23 AM
Replying to Luis Branco
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Dear Rami Very interesting your question Thanks for sharing
Conflict can always be viewed positively: - Bring change - Encourage participation - Serve as safety valve - Represent a power source - Favor internal cohesion
But they can be viewed negatively: - They drag to conformism - Consume resources - Offset from objective - They raise suspicion
It depends on the paradigms of the people who are involved in the conflict.
There is a proposal by two psychologists for conflict management Thomas-Kilmann model (known to almost all of us)
The PMI, in addition to this model (5 possible ways to resolve the conflict) proposes to use confrontation (speak in situations as soon as possible in order to find a win-win solution)
It is also important to note that there is a typology for conflicts: - Objective conflicts - Judgment Conflicts - Normative Conflicts
The best structured approach I've read about the most appropriate way to resolve conflict is Stephen Covey's proposal for "public victory" in the 7 habits of highly effective people (Habit 3: Thinking Win-Win, Habit 4: Understanding First Before Being understood and Habit 5: Creating Synergy)
The paradigm is either win-win or nothing done (which in some ways resembles the PMI Confrontation)
Luis
Thanks for your input, this is great information. However, my question revolves around Constructive Debate or Arguments, not specifically about conflict. There is a difference between constructive debate and conflict. For conflict, I totally agree with the info you provided but for Constructive Debate, there is a different approach for dealing with it as mostly such arguments happens when people are trying to look for solutions (Not when having a conflict over a certain solution) so if those debates are lead properly, they will lead to creativity. Don’t you think so ?
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Nov 19, 2019 4:50 AM
Replying to Karl Twort
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Without differing views, you will never uncover alternative/better solutions. As previously mentioned, the key to successful debate is to be constructive, not critical. To accept that working together can bring different viewpoints and solutions.
Having a moderator can help, but as I PM I often play that role and mediate between opposite sides of a discussion.
Karl
Your feedback is spot on, this is exactly my experience and the key is to maintain constrictive approach, not critisizing approach.
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