What if tension isn't something to avoid, fix, or eliminate? What if tension is actually a sign that something important is happening?
That was the powerful message behind the "Turning Tension Into Progress" workshop, a dynamic 90-minute experience designed to help participants see workplace tension through a completely different lens.
Hosted by The CATALYST, a joint initiative between the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Gilbert’s Office of Economic Development that serves as a central hub connecting local businesses to regional growth resources, facilitator Elaine Kessler took a deep dive into the topic of Turning Tension into Progress. Instead of treating disagreements, competing priorities, and difficult conversations as obstacles, participants learned how to transform those moments into opportunities for growth, collaboration, and meaningful progress.
Redefining Tension
Many of us naturally view tension as a problem. When opinions clash or priorities compete, our instinct is often to reduce discomfort as quickly as possible.
The workshop challenged that assumption.
Through thought-provoking discussions and interactive exercises, participants explored a simple but powerful idea: tension is often the pull between two important values. Rather than indicating something is wrong, tension can signal that something meaningful is trying to emerge.
The Rubber Band Moment
One of the most memorable workshop activities involved something surprisingly simple: a rubber band.
Participants reflected on what happens when a rubber band has no tension, healthy tension, or excessive tension.
The takeaway?
- No tension creates little movement.
- Healthy tension creates energy and possibility.
- Excessive tension creates strain and disconnection.
This simple exercise sparked meaningful conversations about how teams can embrace productive tension while maintaining strong relationships and trust.
Leading with Curiosity
A major theme throughout the workshop was the power of curiosity.
In an exercise called "Tell Me More," participants practiced listening without advising, fixing, or persuading. Instead, they asked questions such as:
- What's important to you about that?
- What concerns you most?
- What value are you trying to protect?
- What would success look like?
The results were eye-opening.
Participants discovered that curiosity lowers defensiveness and creates space for understanding. When people feel heard, conversations shift. Walls come down. New possibilities emerge.
The A.C.E. Framework
To help participants bring these lessons back to their teams, the workshop introduced a simple framework that anyone can use immediately:
A.C.E.
Acknowledge Name the tension honestly.
Connect Stay in relationship and get curious.
Engage Take a step forward together through action and experimentation.
This practical model gives leaders and team members a clear roadmap for navigating difficult conversations while preserving trust and momentum.
A New Way to Think About Progress
Perhaps the most inspiring takeaway from the workshop was this:
Progress is not the absence of tension. Progress is what becomes possible when we stay connected through tension.
When we approach challenges with curiosity instead of certainty, connection instead of division, and commitment instead of avoidance, tension becomes more than discomfort.
It becomes possibility. And possibility, when acted upon, becomes progress.