Team conflicts are natural in workplaces. Sometimes, team conflicts may even seem commonplace. Yet, leaving or failing to resolve them could lead to a serious impact on the overall morale and productivity of the team. Therefore it is key to know how to resolve and address disputes between team members.
Here are 5 steps to guide you through resolving team conflicts efficiently:
- Avoid making assumptions
- Speak to members individually
- Educate your people and encourage active listening
- Provide guidance to find a resolution together
- Agree on the common solution and follow up
When conflicts arise, it is crucial to stay calm and deal with the problem directly. Do not take sides or make assumptions so that you can understand the member’s situation fully.
Set up a time and place to talk to team members separately. Listen carefully to have a clear picture of the disagreement and understand how they feel about the situation. Do not give out too much opinion at an early stage and focus on the problem.
After having a full understanding of the source of the conflict, gather all the parties to let them have the opportunity to share their sides and listen to what others have to say.
You may need to guide the conversation and redirect the topic when things are getting heated. When giving out suggestions, positive aspects of the process and suggest related topics or actions they can work through after the meeting.
Make sure both parties have a mutual agreement on the common solution and set up a list of actionable steps that can be taken to resolve the issue. It is vital to have follow-ups even after the conflict is resolved to ensure everyone has reached consent.
Here’s to all team conflicts mediators!
PS: here are the best team building activities to resolve conflict