Your team's morale is suffering due to conflicts. How can you address staff disputes effectively?

It's important to acknowledge that high performing teams all have conflict - being able to disagree and present multiple views is vital if the team is to be successful. It's HOW they deal with conflict that needs to be addressed. Active listening is an important skill that can help alleviate conflict while also encouraging team members to speak up. Many conflicts arise when people aren't actively listening, and therefore misunderstandings, interruptions and hard feelings occur. People will shut down if they think they are not being listened to, which is detrimental to a high performing team. Using active listening tools such as asking questions, paraphrasing and showing empathy can go a long way to building trust in a team.

So many conflicts start from a feeling that deeply held values are misaligned. Get back to understanding those deeply held values. Understanding motivation - especially when stressed or inspired shed light onto the areas we tend to leave in the shadows- but mean the most

Early intervention is key. If someone is a little issue now, without intervention, they will be a big one. If there is a little clash within the team don’t let it grow into bitterness. Finally if a person cannot come to terms and let an issue go, it is almost certainly time to let them go.

The old counseling adage ... "the problem is never the problem" is almost always applicable. Do your best to acknowledge the tension and then invite people to look at the underlying issues. Without such an approach, it's unlikely the team will ever get to the root cause.

All team members bring something unique and valuable to the team. They each deserve a voice and to be heard. The key is to acknowledge differences while identifying and emphasizing common goals to advance the mission and achieve the goals.

Healthy, safe conflict with boundaries encourages growth and healing. Just like in a relationship, have conversations about how you want to deal with conflict, before a conflict happens.

According to my experience, truth can have more than one side. Therefore it is important to be open and actively listen the others' perspectives. With that, we can be able to work as a team and find common goals and the find solutions.

Out of divergence comes convergence when facing conflicts dialogue is always the optimal solution , Most at times people are in conflict due to communication bias

For example: A freelance writer and a client agree on a deadline and the scope of work upfront (clear expectations). This avoids misunderstandings later on if the client expects additional revisions beyond what was originally agreed upon, preventing a potential conflict over payment or workload.

I've found following up important conversations with an email to be super helpful. I usually start the note with "Thank for meeting with me to talk about expectations. If I'm misrepresenting or missing something here, please let me know, but here's what I heard us say ..." Then I bullet point a list of things from the conversation, which helps clarify how that conversation went, but also gives us something in writing that we can refer back to if we need.

The most important is feedback every time and a bord mindset. So, the cuestión: How can staff prevent and solve conflicts in a nonprofit? Empowering your team with conflict resolution training and tools can be an effective strategy. This approach not only helps in the immediate resolution of issues but also builds a stronger team capable of handling future challenges with less intervention. Equipping your staff with these skills ensures they can navigate conflicts independently, fostering a more resilient and self-sufficient organization.

If you say it, then do it. Your word is your bond and you need to show your team they can trust it. Not only that, but if you don’t follow through, then others may see that as an opportunity for them to dictate outcomes. Unfortunately people who fall into that category often do not have the best out come for the team in mind.

Finally, after resolving the dispute, focus on healing any lingering tension and using the experience as a growth opportunity. Encourage team-building activities and provide support where needed to restore trust and camaraderie. Reflect on what was learned from the conflict and how it can inform future leadership strategies. This not only mends relationships but also strengthens the team's resilience and ability to handle future challenges.

Remind people of the common goal! They got involved, as you did, because of passion for the organisation and its mission. Nine times out of ten this is where common ground can be found. This passion is where you can find the foundations and boundaries for your team to move forward. If people have lost it then celebrate their accomplishment and help them leave with dignity. Every bit of the culture of the organisation should be focused on the mission.

I've found it helpful to start meetings where someone was coming to me to critique, complain, or suggest something ... to say something like, "I'm gathering that there's some frustration here. Thanks for meeting with me to share. Just so you know, I'm listening. That doesn't mean that I'll agree with everything, but I am listening." This simply "plants the seed," that while I value their input, other factors might need to be considered (like me agreeing with them!) before their ideas become action points. :)