You’ve probably seen the poster. It may even be somewhere in your office building. The poster depicts four men in a boat rowing as one. It’s titled “Teamwork” and the caption reads “together we achieve more”. If you have this poster in your office, you’ve probably looked at it so many times that it no longer stands out. It’s become part of the furnishings. The message may even have lost its meaning.
Some people are great at avoiding conflict in the workplace. All you need to do is keep your mouth shut or yield to the strongest voice in the room. If I am describing you, I want you to consider how damaging that behavior is for both you and your team. I also hope to give you some simple, practical suggestions for becoming a healthier fighter.
Having now worked very closely with over 100 companies, I find it easy to provide some very interesting stats on a percentage basis. One, which is the subject of this message, has to do with changes to leadership teams during the EOS Process. I’ve found that 80 percent of the time, one or more people change on the leadership team within the first two years of beginning the process.
It’s easy for many of us to see an issue as a bad thing – something to be avoided. After all, issues usually lead to some measure of discomfort, so why shouldn’t we avoid them?
Barbara Taylor runs a retail coffee and espresso business in Arkansas. She wrote a post in the small business section of the New York Times in June 2011, entitled Reaching Your Limits As A Business Owner. What she has to say about hitting a wall will resonate with owners of companies implementing EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System.
