Feeling like the success of your business or organization is a constant up-hill battle? You look around to see the competition’s success rate is soaring, which leaves you wondering what’s not right at your home base. Maybe you sense high tensions within your company or organization. There could be any number of reasons completely out of your control causing this, but your mission is to focus on what might be within your control.
Photo Credit: Adam Klepsteen
Your situation may not be unlike that of the NHL (National Hockey League). At the back of the sports organization pack, NHL’s last season 3.3 billion dollar revenue was somewhat disappointing in comparison to the NBA’s 5 billion, Major League Baseball’s 7.5 billion, and the NFL’s 9 billion dollar revenue. While there is any number of possible contributing factors to their situation, one might examine their turbulent internal conflicts that led to yet a third NHL lockout this year, preventing players from hitting the ice and disappointing fans. Fortunately the third lockout this year has come to an end and everyone is optimistic that the new ten year labor contract has resolved a nearly two decade dispute.
While this will hopefully be the last of these lockouts for the NHL, there are measures in light of this conflict resolution that the organization and all businesses can take to attempt conflict prevention. We are proposing a three goal hat trick conflict prevention plan. If you’re not familiar with sports, hat trick may be a new phrase to you. This term in sports refers to the achievement of a positive feat three or more times during a game, or other achievements in threes. Now that you’re familiar with the term, you have the opportunity to achieve your own hat trick.
Show them your own hat trick!
Take it one goal at a time…
Goal 1: Analyze what divisions are at odds and why that is. Awareness is the first step to solving the problem. Really become in tune with your team so you can get to the root of the issue.
Goal 2: Once the root of the issue is discovered, say it is a compensation argument like in the case of the recent NHL situation, make sure both sides are heard. It is of the greatest importance that not only the organization leaders understand both points of view, but that opposing sides can begin to picture the other’s perspective. Otherwise a compromise will never be reached. Genuinely be digesting the problems and trying to give both sides some resolution.
Goal 3: Align everyone’s goals so a compromise can be reached. This step is comprehensive because there are many considerations. Having acknowledged everyone’s feelings is essential, but don’t discount the next step of establishing common ground. This is where remembering the big picture comes back into play and sometimes leaders face the daunting task of making that happen. Talk about the importance of the team’s efforts and set a goal.
Circling back to the recent NHL negotiations as an example, focusing on giving fans another hockey season helped usher in a settlement. In a situation like that where the NHL has seen their numbers are lagging behind other sports organizations, being real about those numbers with their organization and setting a goal for future numbers will help take focus away from the previous dispute and transfer energy to team efforts.
Think of yourself as a player out on the ice. Just achieving one hat trick isn’t enough. In order to sustain your organization, aim for the sky. Maintain optimism and continue to revisit these goals in the future.
