You're leading a team with conflicting personalities. How can you keep everyone on track?

This will forever be one of the biggest challenges for leaders. The most important part is diagnosis! the more vital part is prevention!! As a prevention idea, and as early as possible, have the team develop a "code" of how they want to play hard and play/fight fair. If this is done as early as possible, then Leaders and teams have the option to protect that code and work toward maintaining it. I use a simple process that takes 1-2 hours depending on the group dynamics. I also use the Patrick Lencioni assessment linked to the 5 Behaviors of Cohesive Teams. If the group is, or individuals are, already in conflict mode, then diagnosis will help clarify where the situation got out of hand. Seek first to understand before taking action.

Conflict arises out of misunderstanding or miscommunication unless it is a case of unclear goal setting. In any case, habituating the assigned team member (either the team lead or an assigned level-headed member) to follow laid ground rules to assess each conflict and identify the root cause by Fish Bone Analysis or something simple like Process Disintegration View could help identify the misleads and proactive actions that could mitigate such conflicts that leads to avoidable behavior. Behind conflicting personalities lie opportunities. If discovered and appropriated, they could prove diversely strong in multiple performance areas. It powers team dynamics, which upon recognition of all members, can help contain conflicts positively.

There is nothing wrong with conflicting personalties. The most important thing is how this can be united for the good of the team. First thing to do is to establish clearly defined objectives for the team. Next is to understand the driving factors and motivation of individual team members. Then is to try to find common objectives that will serve as pivot to get the team involved in the project and then they would not mind if other objectives are achieved, so far they can find a common ground.

Leading a team with conflicting personalities: Understand differences. Foster open communication. Define clear goals. Cultivate a positive culture. Address conflicts promptly. Leverage individual strengths. Organize team-building activities. Establish clear processes. Encourage empathy. Lead by example. Provide training for interpersonal skills. Conduct regular check-ins. Embrace diversity. Seek feedback. Adapt leadership style to individual needs. These strategies promote harmony, collaboration, and productivity within the team.

Managing a team with conflicting personalities can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can foster a positive and productive work environment. Here are some tips to help keep everyone on track: Understand Individual Differences: Take the time to understand each team member's personality, strengths, and working style. Recognize that diversity in personalities can contribute to a well-rounded team. Promote Open Communication:

As a facilitator, the key is to establish, or build Psychological Safety in the group. I find that groups may be emotionally charged with issues. They will potentially see a "Groundrules" activity distracting rather than helpful. If the initial diagnosis indicates that issues are personal, then it is imperative that things are dealt with privately and not in the public forum. If there are general issues, then the group is best placed to air things out and then work on resolution. If they are in fight/flight/freeze mode then I propose "Draining the Swamp" first and then build a team code/playbook second. Draining the swamp sounds scary, however it is quite helpful for the group to talk it out and listen to their frustrations or hurt.

Ideally lay the ground rules for conflict management early on. Your team should understand how to address conflict long before any disputes arise. Develop clear conflict resolution procedures, including anti-harassment policies. These ground rules tell employees what is expected of them, and what to do when they are having a problem at work. They may be as simple as inviting each person to speak during meetings, or as formal as an filing an HR harassment complaint. Continually monitor and follow up so that any conflict is dealt with as soon as possible and not swept under the carpet causing escalation and impact on extended teams.

In my experience, this happens everyday. Every product team has a diverse mix of conflicting personalities and it comes out directly during meetings. So for the meetings to go smoothly and get the desired outcome, it is very important to set some ground rules. At the start of each meeting, I clearly state who is the end owner of the product. Everyone’s opinion will be heard patiently and discussed with but the end owner will have a final call on the decision. Being the metric owner, he/she will have the right to question and discuss all opinions with data and background. He also will have the freedom to choose his/her own idea but has to communicate it with proper reasoning as to why he/she thinks it is the right decision.

Never ever try discissing topics that can be conflicting - including gender jokes, religion, politics, disability, color or caste. Make sure this to be your rule of the team. Different people (including yourself) may have different mindsets/thoughts on each topic.

A good rule to apply is to listen more than you talk. Avoid being judgemental and giving your own opinion, refraining from a biased approach. Ask pertinent questions and take down notes by reminding incumbents of the desired outcome: resolving the conflict.

Foster an open environment where team members feel heard. Repeat key points to confirm understanding and validate concerns. Encourage feedback and be receptive to diverse perspectives

I find active listening while taking solid notes to be a challenge and distracting, so if / when the conversation is important I either ask someone else to transcribe or I record the meeting so that I can listen back and capture notes. Find creative ways to be present!

Understanding both sides of a conflict is crucial. As the saying goes, "there are three sides to every story: your side, my side, and the truth." Identifying the conflict's origin, underlying motivations, and finding common ground helps resolve issues. It's also important to acknowledge when someone is right or wrong, fostering personal growth and encouraging individuals to move beyond the conflict.

Active listening is achieved through: - Lean forward - Make eye contact - Nod - Express empathy - Make a summary of what you heard - Ask questions - Do not interrupt While the above may seem basic rules, do consider that common sense may not always be common practice, hence focus on committing to it to avoid poor listening skills demonstrated during the conflict management meeting.

Facilitator or the conflict resolver shall separately and individually meet both sides to take them through the process disintegration view by giving adequate time listening their view points. This allows better clarity to the facilitator to discover anomalies and summarize each and then conduct a joint exercise to allow their learning. This encourages their active listening and mindfulness to understand each others view points and ultimately what the organization require. Reaching this clarity can build long standing bridges of trust and shared interests; resulting in work culture becoming better and efficient going forward.

Having conflicting personalities in a team is not a bad thing. It gives different perspectives in work. As a leader my job is to ensure it doesn't turn into clash of egos. I ensure everyone can share their perspectives openly and every decision is backed by logic and fairness. Most importantly everyone works towards common goal and their rewards are in somewhat connected with the success of the group not only individual contribution. And I can assure you it works like a charm

Resolution techniques may be different for sectors. Few Understanding techniques practical in operations: 1. Alignment to approved procedures 2. Train the trainer Empathetic techniques practical in Sales: 1. Cross functional shadowing 2. Understanding financial costs by sales Now, all of these involve minor interventions where interpersonal relations should work effectively. On an overall team's functioning, the more rounded and seasoned the leader with a fair ground rule framework can apply resolution techniques appropriately and successfully.

Here is a problem I often encounter due to differences in team culture and definition of terminology. Teams clash over deadlines—one eager to push forward, the other advocating for meticulous initial planning. To resolve differing attitudes toward deadlines, I'd facilitate a collaborative session. Acknowledge the concerns of both teams and emphasize common goals. Propose a phased approach: address critical issues upfront, ensuring a smoother later stage. Establish clear communication channels to address glitches promptly. Encourage mutual understanding and compromise, fostering a collaborative environment to meet deadlines without compromising quality.

1. Promote empathetic understanding 2. Communicate an extra bit with the conflict makers. 3. Teach them to learn to compromise. 4. Teach them to find mutually agreeable solutions. 5. Define company policy in a way that will provide a framework to resolve conflicts effectively. 6. Formulate a 2/3-hourly organizational behavior classes every week for every batch.

This may have varied answers but if there is a conflict between the team, make them speak to each other (maybe mediated by you or someone senior) in a closed room or in an informal environment (smoke, beer or coffee). Let them speak their hearts out and settle for themselves, not to carry the burden forward. Talks will diffuse the ongoing conflict & cold war, ensuring better coordination & output for the team. Incase talking doesnt help, segregate the two into independent teams without the other's interference.

An area that grooms the bonding of the team. Acknowledging successes is a standard. Short celebrations and commemorations help team hallmarks certified. Acknowledging conflicts/failures and cause introspection for learning and reflection is a must do. Lead the team to understand what causes it, risks associated to it and taking ownership of the conflict/failure. Conduct brainwriting and brainstorming workshops to define each individual perspectives of actions to be taken to prevent similar conflicts/failures. A table that displays on the department notice board the month wise successes versus conflict/failure identifications can help tag team members to ensure more of the positive hallmarks.

Si después de dar un traspiés es importante parar y reflexionar sobre lo ocurrido y aprender de ti al respecto de cómo te relacionaste con esa situación, no es menos importante que cada vez que en tu carrera profesional tengas éxitos, también te tomes tu tiempo para celebrarlos y disfrutar de ellos. Damos por hecho que lo bueno que nos ocurre es como debe ser y lo no tan bueno, son errores y ambas dos situaciones son parte del camino y es precisamente esa dualidad la que hace que existan los momentos de celebración. No los dejes pasar, para y celebra. Disfruta el camino de tu carrera profesional.

Use data analytics to learn from past events, ensuring future situations of similar nature are avoided and/or handled more effectively. It is important to consider extrinsic factors to conflict that may be caused by problems which may require root-cause analysis approach.

This is a tough one. The way I've done this is either someone has to leave or they all suck it up and get with the program! If its the latter then try these tips: 1. Respect differences. Not easy but needs to be done. 2. The Objectives of the task or project and the Outputs needed to be respected and delivered AT ALL COSTS. 3. Emphasise (again?) roles and expectations 4. Focus on the strengths of the disparate personalities and try and work accordingly 5. Establish formal lines of communication and encourage open dialogue. 6. Expect conflicts and set up a resolution mechanism. 7. Get people busy on collaboration rather than conflicts. 8. The team leader must sometimes take the bull by the horns if these still don't work.

In any balanced team, there will always be diverse opinions and differing personalities - this is why teams work well when led by a strategic leader. The key is to allow those in the team to work with their strengths and give respect to others with different strengths to contribute equally. Having a 'buy-in' from team members with 100% clarity on the overall vision (in specific detail) of the founder, concerning the long-term outcomes of the business, along with the corporate culture, ethics and mission will go a long way to enabling team cohesion and stopping any conflict.

Encourage a culture of "leaving egos at the door", where team members respectfully listen to other views, are unafraid to challenge themselves and analyse why there are disagreements, and are happy to change positions if proven wrong. Focus everyone's efforts on what benefits the team or project (vs individual agendas or the need to be right/in control). By all means, foster debate and the exchange of opinions, but always in a spirit of collaboration, steering the team towards finding solutions and compromises.

L'outil DISC avec ses 4 comportements et ses 4 couleurs permet de se brancher sur le canal de communication de son interlocuteur pour pouvoir mieux atteindre ses objectifs.

Try to put to work those conflicting personalties in two different groups so that their interaction becomes less frequent. It might work.