The 10 Advantages of Clashing with Your Team

At the beginning, everything was great—you all wanted the same things and always agreed on everything. But then, one day, you clashed. That shared perspective that had brought you together to push your project forward seemed to vanish. When this happens in an entrepreneurial team, is it the end?

Not at all. Conflict can bring about many good things—as long as everyone knows how to handle the situation and doesn’t lose their temper. Innovative solutions, change, growth… The workplace is highly dynamic, and even more so in entrepreneurship, where transformation and renewal are essential signs that you’re on the right path. But this also leads to friction. We understand your desire to avoid it, but the less you hide from discussions, the better you’ll be at managing them—and, above all, you will recognise the positive things they can bring to the project. For example:

• New ideas. Conflict is a powerful creative tool because it pushes you to refine your ideas. Hearing someone else’s perspective helps shape and clarify your own, either reinforcing it or opening your eyes to new perspectives. It is an incredibly effective way to reach solutions. And once you do, it strengthens trst, agreements, and team commitment.
• Expressing needs. Many people do not get what they want simply because they do not voice it. A disagreement is an opportunity to share your needs, but be mindful—when defending your position, strike a balance between being too rude and too soft. Confrontation builds resilience and boosts confidence in expressing what you want.
• Flexibility. A discussion is not just about getting others to adopt your stance; it is also about adjusting to theirs. Humility and openness to ideas are two invaluable soft skills that are developed through conflict. If you stubbornly insist that your viewpoint is the only right one “just because,” you will come across as difficult, selfish, fragile, and controlling—the exact opposite of what anyone wants in a business partner (let alone a team leader). Remember: you are not always right.
• Listening skills. Success in negotiation or conflict resolution does not come from fiercely defending your idea or aiming to “win,” but from truly appreciating the other person’s perspective. To do this, you must actively listen—this way, you will gain the insights needed to make the smartest decisions.
• Revealing behavioural patterns. Arguments can reveal a lot about how others work, communicate, and think. Understanding these aspects helps improve relationships with teammates, giving you a kind of predictive power—you will almost be able to anticipate their reactions and develop strategies accordingly. It also teaches you to respect boundaries and recognise when and how to push for what you want without being overly forceful.
• Finding solutions. Change is not comfortable, but it is necessary for progress. That is why it is important to constantly analyse, discuss, adjust, and negotiate the foundations of your ideas. Conflict opens the door to reinvention and renewal.
• Better communication skills. Self-control, patience, intelligence, authenticity—communication requires all of these, and putting them into practice during a disagreement is not easy. However, the more we engage in conflict, the better communicators we become. This does not mean you should create disagreements just for the sake of practising, but avoiding them altogether prevents you from properly expressing your point of view.
• Setting boundaries. Conflict is actually an ideal time to establish limits and reach agreements that respect everyone involved. These situations help develop self-awareness, teaching you when to stand your ground, when to let things go, and when to ask others to respect your boundaries. Additionally, by openly discussing your needs and limits, others learn more about you.
• Emotional control. In entrepreneurship, team members are often deeply passionate about their projects, which can lead to emotionally charged conflicts. However, if you want to be taken seriously, you must handle disagreements with calm. Using short, clear sentences to state your arguments and remaining open to other opinions will pave the way for resolution. At the same time, demonstrating self-control fosters trust and empathy from others.
• Differentiation. We learn a lot about ourselves by recognising how we differ from others. This is known as differentiation—the ability to express our arguments while also understanding different perspectives. Standing up for what matters to you, even in disagreement, is the foundation of emotional well-being and effective communication. Others will absorb and respond to this information, leading to adjustments. This is how solutions arise—the ultimate goal of any conflict.

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Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash.