When Visions Collide

Every leader knows how important a vision is to leading an organization. The vision you cast is the pathway to success.

Creating your vision is easy if you’re the only person on your team. Or your team is still small.

two bulls locking horns

Photo by Uriel Soberanes

Grow your team? Then creating a vision everyone can get onboard with becomes harder. It may even seem impossible.

This is when visions collide.

What Is A Vision?

A vision isn’t something spiritual or woo-wooey. A vision is a clear picture in your mind of what you want your business or organization to look like in the future.

Your vision may be:

We are a company that values employees while bringing the best to our customers. We provide the best cellular service in the industry and our customers rate us with a 99.9% satisfcation rate.

Iron Sharpens Iron

There’s an interesting verse in the Bible. Proverbs 27:17 tells us that As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

I’ve often pondered over the meaning of this verse.

Blacksmith Shaping Metal

What does iron sharpening iron mean? Does iron sharpen iron simply by being in the presence of other iron?

No, not at all. Iron can’t sharpen iron by being next to each other.

The way iron sharpens iron is through conflict.

How Iron Sharpens Iron

The thought behind Proverbs 27:17 is interesting. Iron can sharpen iron.

But how does that happen?

Iron can only sharpen other iron through conflict. When you hit two pieces of iron together, you can sharpen it.

Why then, as Christians, do we strive to avoid conflict? We flee from conflict like it is the plague.

Yet, we know that the conflict iron faces when they clash, provides sharpening.

How To Handle Conflict In Leadership

Conflicts arise in every relationship. Whether it’s conflict with your spouse, conflict with a friend, or conflict with a team member.

Anger will arise. You’ll want to air your frustrations. You’ll want to kill the relationships.

Instead, I encourage you to deal with the conflict. Learn how to handle conflicts as they come at you.

Image by Louis K.

Image by Louis K.

In most instances, you’ll be able to reconcile and resolve the conflict. This is the ideal solution.

We want conflicts handled quickly and nicely.

If you do is up to you. Let’s first look at:

What Not To Do

Often when we’re faced with conflict, our minds begin to race. Anger can begin to seep in.

Resentment. Hatred. Hurt. Distrust.

These are some of the feelings you’ll probably feel.

What you don’t want to do is focus on these emotions. They’re deadly and will destroy your ability to lead effectively.