Conflict is something you'll need to deal with regardless of your position; people come with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints and are bound to disagree. Disagreement isn't a bad thing; your team should feel empowered to challenge decisions and to openly discuss opposing ideas. When dispute turns uncivil, emotional, or personal is when it must be promptly addressed.

Whether the conflict involves two team members, a team member and yourself, or you and a peer, it’s essential to address it directly. While it's ideal for employees to resolve issues on their own, it’s your responsibility to facilitate the process. Begin by acting as a mediator, encouraging the parties to work toward a resolution together. If they are unable to do so, you may need to step in as an arbitrator. In this role, listen to both sides, offer suggestions, and guide the discussion toward a solution that satisfies everyone. In some cases, you may have to make a final decision, which could result in one party being less satisfied, but it's important to prioritize a fair and productive outcome.

Note: If the conflict involves yourself, use the same techniques, and try to resolve the issue without mediation. If a compromise is not attainable, reach out for an objective third party, a senior manager or possibly an HR representative.

Dealing with conflict boils down to the discovery and mitigation of differences between parties. Whether those differences are based on perceived injustices at work, personal grievences, or cultural biases, the effort to resolve the conflict remains mostly the same. Steps to intervene and to resolve such disputes must be taken as soon as possible.

Handling conflict may be delicate but it’s also straightforward. In some cases, if the conflict is relatively minor or based on a misunderstanding, bringing the partie together from the start may be appropriate. However, for more complex or emotionally charged conflicts, separate meetings followed by a joint session tend to be the most effective strategy.

If the issue is charged or complex, then meet with the parties individually first. Doing this before bringing them together allows the manager to understand each person’s perspective without the influence of the other party being present. This has several benefits:

Encourages openness: Employees may be more candid when speaking privately, sharing underlying concerns or feelings they may not express in a group setting.
Avoids escalation: Private meetings reduce the risk of immediate confrontations or heated exchanges, giving the manager a chance to hear each side calmly.
Identifies root causes: Separate meetings provide the manager with a clearer understanding of the underlying issues without the dynamics of the conflict playing out in front of them.
Builds trust: Employees are more likely to feel heard and understood when given individual attention, which is essential for effective conflict resolution.

Next, bring the parties together and insist on civility and professionalism; anything less will not be tolerated.

Arrange a Private Meeting: Bring the involved employees together for a private meeting in a neutral setting. Make sure the environment is calm and conducive to open dialogue. Assure both parties that the meeting's goal is to resolve the issue fairly and respectfully, but that civility and professionalism are required.
Listen to Each Side: Give each employee the opportunity to share their perspective without interruption. Practice active listening, showing empathy, and taking notes if necessary. You may encourage the employees to take notes as well. Acknowledge their feelings and concerns to ensure they feel heard and validated. Encourage employees to speak factually and avoid personal attacks. Ask each to demonstrate that they understand the opposing view.
Identify the Root Cause: Once both sides have shared their views, work to uncover the root cause of the conflict. Ask clarifying questions to understand the underlying issues, whether it stems from miscommunication, differences in work styles, or interpersonal tensions. Sometimes what appears to be a surface issue might be driven by deeper frustrations.
Facilitate Open Discussion: Encourage a respectful and solution-focused discussion between the employees. Help them identify common ground and highlight any shared goals or interests. Allow both parties to express how the conflict has impacted them and what they hope to achieve through resolution.
Generate Possible Solutions: Collaborate with the employees to brainstorm potential solutions. Encourage them to propose ideas on how the conflict can be resolved and what actions can prevent it from happening again. Ensure that both parties contribute to the solution, which fosters buy-in and mutual accountability.
Agree on a Solution: Once multiple options are on the table, guide the employees toward a mutually acceptable solution. The solution should be fair and practical, and both parties should commit to it. Clearly define the steps each person will take moving forward and agree on specific actions or changes in behavior.
Document the Resolution: It’s essential to document the agreement and the steps taken to resolve the conflict. This ensures accountability and provides a reference if issues arise in the future. Both employees should be aware of the documentation and the expectations outlined in it.
Follow Up: After the resolution, check in with the employees regularly to ensure the conflict remains resolved and that the relationship between the parties improves. This helps to confirm that the agreed-upon solution is effective and provides an opportunity to address any lingering issues.
Evaluate and Learn: Reflect on the conflict and its resolution to identify any lessons learned. This can help improve your conflict resolution skills and prevent future conflicts in your team by addressing systemic issues that may have contributed to the disagreement.

Like any other problem area, it’s preferable to avoid conflict that fix it. Often the conditions that lead to conflict are some of the same as those that result in disengaged employees: favoritism, unfairness, mistrust, and lack of accountability. Since the objective of great management (and this course) is to promote the development of engaged employees, conflicts should be minimized.

But conflicts will still arise, especially in today's polarized world, and when they do, they must be dealt with immediately. Allowing conflict to escalate is costly; it results in negativity, lost productivity, employee turnover, and even litigation. The longer you wait to address conflict, the harder it is to resolve as anger, resentment, and mistrust accumulate.

Dealing with conflict boils down to the discovery and mitigation of differences between parties. Whether those differences are based on perceived injustices at work, personal grievances, or cultural biases, the effort to resolve the conflict remains mostly the same. Steps to intervene and to resolve such disputes must be taken as soon as possible.

Handling Conflict