To think, wouldn’t it be blissfully pleasant if we could all just agree with each other?  Meanwhile, back in the real world, we have to learn to deal with varying levels of conflict in our work life as much as everywhere else. 

We worked with owners in a technology business which had come to a fork in the road.  Essentially resellers of other peoples’ products, they had to decide whether to continue doing so or to develop their own products inhouse.  Inhouse product development was a huge step, both financially and also in terms of the expertise which they did not possess.  If it went wrong, not only would they lose the development investment but their reputation amongst their existing customers might be irreparably damaged.  Returning to their previous suppliers would be uncomfortable if not impossible.  

Pros and cons         

Both partners could see the pros and cons of the conundrum but they had different levels of risk tolerance leading them to different conclusions. It was, for each, as much a personal decision as a business choice.  

One point they were willing to agree on was the need to bring in a third party who could view the situation on a strictly rational basis, ascribing probability to potential outcomes.  Apart from the tools available to support risk management calculation and decision making, the coach was also able bring in practical experience of having made similar commercial decisions in the past.  

A game changer 

Their decision to work with a coach not only helped them make a decision that they were both comfortable with but also mitigated the risk and enhanced their feeling of both pulling in the same direction.   Working with them through to product launch, the process had its challenges but ultimately was a game changer for the business.  The return on the investment in coaching was recovered many times over.

Managing change and conflict is difficult.  If you would like help working through those challenges, contact us for a no-obligation discussion.  Or, subscribe to our newsletter.  We also run really useful webinars – why not join our next business webinar?