How to solve conflicts in winning teams

Look, let’s face it. If we all got along 100% of the time life would get pretty boring, pretty quickly.  

Luckily, we live in a world where we’re not always going to agree with everyone. In fact, conflicts are the number one reason behind poor teamwork. Despite our best intentions, sometimes it’s impossible to avoid conflict within teams (we’re all human after all).

According to HBR, “Conflict management is one of the biggest fears held by new managers, and for good reason. In the UK, around 38% of employees experience interpersonal conflict per year, and in the US, employees spend almost three hours involved in conflict every week. Plus, since the pandemic began, more people are working in remote and hybrid work environments that make it harder to spot and avoid conflict when it happens.”

Conflicts are a natural part of team dynamics, but it’s important to note that not all conflicts are bad.  

Thomas Jordan, author of Conflict Management in the Workplace, defines conflict as a situation where someone's unyielding need is blocked by another. This leads to frustration which people then take action on (because it’s easy to feel powerless when we’re frustrated). Looking at conflict through the lens of this definition, it’s clear conflicts are inevitable - and even necessary - for development and progress.    

In short, constructive conflicts, where issues are openly discussed and resolved, can lead to team growth and development. Destructive conflicts, on the other hand, can hinder group progress and cohesion.

But what happens when minor disagreements turn into full blown conflict? And how can we identify and resolve these conflicts in the workplace before they impact team success? Let’s look into it.  

Reasons behind conflicts in the workplace

Conflicts normally arise due to differences in values, goals, perceptions, or expectations among team members. Understanding the underlying reasons can help managers and team members navigate these challenges effectively.  

Here are several key reasons why conflicts typically arise in the workplace:

1. Unclear Roles and Responsibilities  

When team members are unsure about their specific roles or the scope of their responsibilities, it can lead to confusion and overlap. This lack of clarity often results in disputes as employees may either avoid necessary tasks - believing it falls outside their responsibilities  - or clash over who should undertake a particular job. This can very quickly lead to frustration and inefficiency.

2. Miscommunication

Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful team. Miscommunication can arise from poor information flow, misunderstandings, or a lack of transparency or trust. Poor communication is a major contributor to workplace conflict and frustration.  

3. Mismatched Expectations

Conflicts arise when there is a disconnect between what is expected and what is delivered. This can be related to job performance, project outcomes, or workplace behaviours.  

4. Differing Personal Values and Interests

Individuals bring their own set of values, backgrounds, and priorities to a team. When these personal interests clash, conflict can arise, especially if team members prioritise their personal goals over team or organisational objectives. Not everyone will naturally get along, and personal differences can lead to conflict. These personality clashes are often exacerbated in stressful situations or environments where collaboration is required but not naturally facilitated.

5. Leadership Styles

The way a team is managed can significantly impact the frequency and intensity of conflicts. A leadership style that is too authoritarian can suppress open dialogue, whereas a too laissez-faire approach can lead to a lack of direction and confusion. Leaders need to balance providing guidance with allowing autonomy.

Check out our guide 5 Winning Ways For Effective Leadership to level-up your leadership skills!

6. Lack of Psychological Safety

A workplace that lacks psychological safety—a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject, or punish someone for speaking up—can lead to conflicts. Team members may feel threatened or marginalised, and as a result, may either withdraw or act out in defensive ways.

Did you know?

One of the key features of Winningtemp is its ability to gather anonymous feedback from employees. This tool can be particularly useful in conflict situations where team members may feel uncomfortable expressing concerns openly. Anonymous feedback ensures that all voices are heard, creating a more inclusive environment for resolving issues.

By understanding these common causes of workplace conflicts, leaders and HR professionals can better prepare to address and resolve them constructively. This ensures that conflicts become opportunities for growth rather than obstacles to success. Which begs the question, how do you spot conflicts?

How to spot conflicts in the workplace  

Identifying conflicts early in the workplace is crucial for maintaining harmony and ensuring team efficiency. Here are key indicators that can help managers and team members recognise conflicts before they escalate:

1. Changes in Communication Patterns

If communication plummets or there’s a shift from open and collaborative discussions to closed and short exchanges, then this can be a sign of underlying conflict. Avoiding direct communication, such as choosing emails over face-to-face conversations to avoid interaction, also points to potential issues.

Did you know?  

Winningtemp's temperature-checks allow managers to detect early signs of dissatisfaction or disagreement within the team. By monitoring changes in sentiment and engagement levels, managers can identify potential conflicts before they escalate.

2. Increased Absenteeism

When employees start taking more sick days or seem to find reasons not to be at work, it might indicate that they are trying to avoid conflict situations. This can be particularly telling if the absenteeism is specific to certain team meetings or activities.

3. Decline in Productivity

Conflicts can drain energy and divert attention from work, leading to a noticeable drop in productivity. If a team or individual shows sudden lapses in performance, it could be due to unresolved conflicts that are affecting their focus and motivation.

4. Group Cliques and Isolation

The formation of cliques within a team can be a red flag for conflict. These groups may exclude others, leading to feelings of isolation among those not included. Such division often manifests as informal segregation in seating arrangements, lunch groups, or in choosing partners for assignments.  

5. Emotional Reactions and Mood Swings

An increase in emotional responses such as frustration, irritability, or anger during interactions at work can indicate that conflicts are brewing. Similarly, if an employee who is typically calm and collected begins to show erratic behaviour, it could be a response to conflict.

So how can you monitor it all?

Of course, trying to keep track of all of this while at the same time trying to do everything else that your job requires can be tricky. It’s here where tools like Winningtemp, that can provide data-driven insights into team dynamics and employee satisfaction, become invaluable.  

By staying vigilant and employing these strategies, you can spot potential conflicts early. This proactive approach means you can address issues before they escalate and maintain a productive and harmonious workplace.

But when fully-fledged conflicts arise, which they inevitably will, how do you solve them?

How to solve conflicts in the workplace

Quickly solving conflicts before they spiral out of control is essential. While every situation is different, here are some of the best ways of most effectively solving conflict in your team:

1. Acknowledge the Conflict

The first step in resolving any conflict is acknowledging that it exists. Ignoring the issue can lead to escalation and further complications. It’s important for management to recognise the conflict openly and commit to a resolution process that is transparent to all involved parties.  

2. Open Communication Channels

Encourage open and honest communication between the conflicting parties. Facilitate a safe environment where employees can express their concerns and feelings without fear of retaliation. This could be through mediated sessions or direct dialogues, depending on the severity and nature of the conflict. Promote psychological safety and encourage an atmosphere where team members feel safe to express their thoughts and concerns without fear of negative consequences. This involves leadership modelling the appropriate behaviour and actively supporting a culture where feedback is welcomed and valued.  

Did you know?

Winningtemp encourages regular communication through structured feedback loops and pulse surveys. This consistent engagement helps maintain open lines of communication, which is critical in preventing misunderstandings and clarifying expectations—common sources of conflict in high-performing teams.

3. Employ Active Listening

During conflict resolution meetings, practise active listening. Allow each party to speak their mind and ensure they feel heard and understood. This involves not only listening to their words but also acknowledging their emotions and perspectives.

4. Identify Underlying Causes

Go beyond the symptoms of the conflict and try to understand the root causes. This may involve discussing individual needs, expectations, and experiences to identify what triggered the conflict. Understanding the underlying issues is crucial for finding a long-lasting resolution. Once the problem is clearly defined and communicated, brainstorm together for multiple solutions. Involve all parties in this creative process to ensure buy-in and to generate a variety of options. This collaborative approach not only enhances the likelihood of finding a sustainable solution but also helps rebuild relationships damaged by the conflict.  

5. Define Agreements and Next Steps

Once the parties have come to an understanding, clearly define the agreements and next steps. This might involve setting specific behavioural expectations, timelines for review, or changes in procedures or roles. Documenting these agreements can help hold everyone accountable and provide a reference for future follow-ups.

6. Monitor Progress and Follow-Up

After resolving the conflict, continue to monitor the situation and follow up with the parties involved to ensure that the resolution is effective and that no new issues have arisen. This can also involve making adjustments to the agreed-upon solutions if they are not working as expected.

Did you know?

Winningtemp’s platform analyses your team's feedback and suggests recommended actions based on world-leading research. This gives leaders time to focus on conflict resolution - creating plans for improving the engagement and performance and setting them in action.

7. Foster a Positive Work Culture

Lastly, foster an organisational culture that values respect, diversity, and inclusivity. A positive work environment naturally reduces the likelihood of conflicts and encourages employees to resolve their differences amicably.

Let's sum it up

Even the best and most successful teams have to deal with conflict. The teams that win are the teams that look conflict in the eye and don’t shy away from it. They identify it, address it, and resolve as effectively as they can. This stems from having a great culture, from championing psychological safety, from listening and understanding, and from taking action.  

Tools like Winningtemp can not only help you spot when a storm is brewing (allowing you to take early action), they can also help you navigate your way through the storm with features like Guided Temperature Meetings.  

By integrating a tool like Winningtemp, teams can also build a more resilient and adaptive culture that supports development and high performance. This proactive approach is what distinguishes winning teams, allowing them to turn tension into triumph and conflicts into opportunities for growth.

Check out Winningtemp for yourself or download our Team Success Handbook here.