Team leads are at odds over project resources. How can you help them find common ground?

Common Ground is a crucial process for effective collaboration and harmonious teamwork, that starts with creating a psychological safe space where all voices are heard and respected; all needs, interests and objectives are expressed and all “WHYs” are identified, opening doors for cooperation and/or compromises towards an inclusive and collective outcome

To help team leads find common ground on project resources, start by understanding their needs through open dialogue. Schedule individual meetings to discuss each lead’s requirements, priorities, and constraints. Identify overlapping interests and potential trade-offs. Facilitate a joint meeting to share insights and collaboratively explore solutions that address the core needs of both sides. Encourage compromise and look for creative resource-sharing options. By focusing on mutual goals and fostering transparent communication, you can help reconcile differences and reach a balanced resolution.

To help team leads find common ground, map their priorities by first gathering each lead's resource needs and project goals. Create a visual prioritisation chart, a Priority Matrix as an example. to compare and contrast their requirements. Identify common objectives and areas of overlap. Use this map to facilitate a discussion where each lead can see how their priorities align with or impact others. Encourage them to negotiate based on shared goals and explore resource-sharing or reallocation options. This approach clarifies the bigger picture and helps find mutually beneficial solutions.

Sometimes it is a place of fight between logic and emotion. People always have different priorities. Even if they agree superficially, the moment any discrepancy comes, they indulge into blaming and shaming. The way out is to listen to both and add the perspectives to them till their either/ or orientation shifts. Address the emotions with greater emotions like addresing insecurities with the mission commitment. Same way addressing the logic with greater logic, like if operating with conditions, take them to vision alignment, paves way for setting clear priorities.

To foster empathy and help team leads find common ground, facilitate a session where each lead shares their perspective on resource needs and project challenges. Encourage active listening by having each lead summarise the other's position before responding. Highlight shared goals and the impact of resource constraints on overall project success. Use empathy-building techniques, such as role reversal, where leads express how they'd feel in each other's situation. This approach promotes mutual understanding and collaboration, leading to more constructive negotiations and resource-sharing solutions.

To help team leads find common ground, review progress by scheduling a joint meeting to assess the current status of their projects. Present data on resource usage, achievements, and any issues encountered. Highlight areas where resources have been effectively utilised and identify gaps or overlaps. Use this review to align their goals with the overall project objectives. Discuss how reallocating or sharing resources could enhance progress and address mutual needs. This data-driven approach helps clarify the impact of resources and facilitates collaborative decision-making.