Power struggles are nothing but ego issues. When the team is facing power struggles, it means there's a lot of communication gap. I would prefer to sit with the team and discuss it in black and white. The first and foremost thing is to set expectations right. Second thing is to set a goal, give a plan and tell them to act on it. Third is regular checks and feedback. I would highly recommend team activities to remove the ego clashes for better results.

When power struggles emerge in a coaching session, the first step is to bring everyone back to common ground. I set a respectful tone and remind the team of shared goals, steering the focus from individual agendas to collective success. Encouraging open dialogue, I give each person a chance to speak without interruption, helping them feel heard. If things get heated, I introduce activities that promote collaboration and emphasize team strengths over individual competition. By shifting the spotlight to shared objectives, we transform tension into teamwork. After all, “It’s about winning together, not against each other.”

If we are a team we are one and unified. Transparency is key and I cannot stress that enough. Team tension and power struggles can be challenging, but they’re issues that need to be addressed head-on. In my experience, the best approach is to set clear expectations about respect and collaboration from the outset. I make it clear that power struggles are counterproductive and can erode trust, which is critical to a team’s success. I feel addressing any emerging issues quickly and directly through open and honest discussions can prevent them from escalating. At the end of the day, fostering a culture of mutual respect and open communication is key to ensuring everyone is working towards the same goals.

Power struggles in a team can turn a productive coaching session into a battle of egos. I’ve seen it firsthand as a Full Stack Problem Solver Coach, guiding software developers through challenging projects. The key? **Shift the focus back to the team’s shared goal.** Start by acknowledging everyone’s ideas to make them feel valued, then bring them together with a reminder of why you’re there: to solve a problem *together*. One technique I use is the “round-robin approach.” Each person gets a chance to speak without interruption, keeping it fair and organized. With respect and a clear goal in mind, team dynamics can move from friction to flow, creating a space where ideas win—not egos.