Addressing Team Conflicts Head-On
Steve Gaskell
High-Performance Business & Executive Coach | Unlocking Potential in Leaders and Teams | Scalability & Organisational Health Specialist | L&D | Author & The Challenge Coach
The room falls silent as tempers flare. Sideways glances are exchanged as the elephant in the room grows larger. Everyone senses the rising tension, yet no one dares address it directly.
Team conflict is brewing.
Unresolved disagreements, interpersonal issues, and unspoken resentments simmer below the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment. As a team leader, it falls on you to take action before dysfunction takes root. But where do you start?
Calling out the elephant in the room is the first step to addressing team conflicts head-on. By bringing unspoken tensions into the light, you shine a spotlight on matters that must be resolved for your team to thrive. This takes courage but fosters open communication and trust.
Left unaddressed, team conflicts fester like a wound, breeding hostility and lack of psychological safety. But when confronted compassionately and head-on, disagreements present opportunities for growth. Your team's health depends on taking that first step.
In this article, we will explore strategies for identifying and resolving team conflict, creating an open dialogue, and leading courageous conversations to clear the air. Let's address the elephant before it flattens your team's potential.
The time for silence and avoidance is over.
Team conflict is inevitable, but letting it fester can destroy teamwork. As a leader, recognising brewing issues early and taking action is key.
Signs of Brewing Team Conflict
Watch for symptoms like declining trust, lack of communication, infighting over resources, and avoidance behaviours. Siloes, power struggles, and people disengaging signal a lack of psychological safety. Act promptly when any of the following arise:
Unresolved, these conflicts will poison your team’s culture. Have the courage to confront issues openly before relationships suffer permanent damage.
Why Letting Conflicts Fester is Harmful
Turning a blind eye to the conflict may seem easier at the moment, but causes long-term harm by:
Conflict is unavoidable, but teams must feel safe addressing tensions quickly and constructively to thrive.
Strategies to Address Team Conflict
Tailor your approach to your team’s needs. Positive starting points include:
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There is no one-size-fits-all method. Assess the situation and use multiple strategies to create openness.
How to Call Out the Elephant
When calling out sensitive team issues:
Your goal is to spark authentic dialogue, not accusations. Lead with empathy and accountability.
Moving Forward After Addressing Conflict
Once conflicts are in the open, real healing can begin by:
Working through differences strengthens teams. Keep lines of communication open as you move forward together.
So What
The health of your team hangs in the balance. Will resentment and dysfunction take root as conflict festers silently under the surface? Or will you take courageous action to foster open communication and collective growth?
The time for avoidance is over. As a leader, it is your responsibility to call out the elephant, bring suppressed tensions into the light, and guide your team through this darkness into understanding.
Have the courage to speak up. Call a team meeting to check in on dynamics. Facilitate difficult but necessary conversations. And commit to the personal work it will take to hear each other, rebuild trust, and align around shared goals.
Discomfort is temporary; a fractured team is permanent. Lean into the vulnerability and uncertainty. Let conflict strengthen rather than weaken you. Lead by naming the elephant, enabling dialogue, and holding one another accountable.
No more silence and avoidance. Make the choice to call it out and move forward to a healthier future. The elephant will only grow larger otherwise. Your team is too important to lose to dysfunction. Speak up now.
The elephant in the room holds your team back until confronted compassionately, directly, and with care for your shared future. Have the courage to call it out.