An executive is struggling with internal team conflicts. How can you guide them towards resolution?

Talk to the different stakeholders individually to get a perspective on what the actual situation is Try to overcome any personal bias you may have towards team members Get a clear multi-perspective picture of the situation

A haiku on assessing the situation: Step back, assess well, Gather all views, hear each voice, Find root, not assign. Before trying to fix a problem, take a moment to understand what's really happening. Talk to everyone involved and listen carefully to what they have to say. This helps you see why the problem started and shows that you care about finding a fair solution. Remember, the goal is to find out what's wrong, not to blame anyone.

Evaluating the situation is fundamental for guiding a team in conflict resolution because it allows us to understand the underlying causes of the problem and the perspectives of all parties involved. By conducting an objective assessment, we can identify the needs and concerns of team members, as well as any external factors influencing the conflict. This comprehensive understanding facilitates the formulation of effective and fair strategies, promoting an acceptable resolution for everyone and strengthening team cohesion and collaboration.

Begin by thoroughly understanding the root cause of the conflict. This involves confidential conversations with all parties involved to gather diverse perspectives and identify underlying issues.

Todo tiene diferentes versiones. Abrir un diálogo, sin buscar culpables, para entender qué es lo que motiva a cada una de las partes... ... y dónde están las diferencias, siempre con el foco en los problemas (no en las personas). Muy útil hacer una "mapa mental" o escribir en un rotafolio, dado que la carga emocional se desvía hacía estas herramientas y se le quita el foco a la confrontación emocional entre personas.

When an executive faces internal team conflicts, a strategic approach is essential. First, encourage active listening. Help the executive understand diverse perspectives and underlying dynamics. Second, facilitate dialogue. Create a safe space for team members to express concerns and find common ground. Third, coach conflict resolution skills. Teach assertiveness, empathy, and negotiation. Finally, promote shared purpose. Align the team around a compelling vision to foster collaboration. Balancing leadership maturity and emotional intelligence is key.

Engaging in “Open Dialogue” is vital, but consider the deeper layer of Spiritual Intelligence. Beyond just hearing words, truly understand the emotions and intentions behind them. This isn't just about resolving conflict, it's about fostering a sense of “Unity” and “Shared Purpose”. When team members connect on a “Spiritual Level”, they don't just work together—they thrive together. Reflect on how your own “Spiritual Growth” can influence and inspire your team’s dynamics.

This can be really hard to do if the team is currently under stress and especially when they don’t have a culture of open dialogue. Starting with an anonymous survey or a public conversation with a neutral facilitator can help but questions and comments need to stay productive. Starting with an open mic ‘town hall’ style meeting can be disastrous to morale and cultural. Specific comments about specific issues followed by specific action with specific metrics for evaluation will then create an opening for the next round of specific comments.

Open dialogue is a key factor for guiding a team to conflict resolution because it fosters an environment of transparency and trust. Allowing all team members to express their opinions and feelings without fear of repercussions makes it easier to identify underlying issues and generate ideas for potential solutions. This open exchange of ideas and perspectives helps clarify misunderstandings, reduce tensions, and find agreements that satisfy all parties. Additionally, it promotes a culture of effective communication and collaboration, which is essential for the team's cohesion and long-term success.

Establishing clear boundaries guides a team to conflict resolution because it defines expectations and responsibilities, reducing ambiguity and misunderstandings. With well-defined rules and boundaries, each team member knows what behaviors are acceptable and what are not, helping to prevent conflicts before they arise. Additionally, in conflict situations, clear boundaries serve as an objective reference for mediating and resolving disputes fairly and consistently. This helps maintain an orderly and respectful work environment, promoting harmony and collaboration within the team.

Remember that solutions are neither good nor bad, they are just productive or unproductive for the time and situation you are currently in. For teams and individuals that feel hurt in some way it is natural for them to seek some form of retribution. While consequences must be taken into account, retribution needs to be avoided if you want to establish a path moving forward.

Developing solutions as a team can effectively guide them toward conflict resolution by leveraging the diversity of perspectives and skills within the group. Through collaboration and idea-sharing, team members can explore a variety of approaches to address the problem from different angles. This process not only fosters creativity and innovation but also promotes a sense of shared ownership over the proposed solutions. Moreover, working together on solution development strengthens team cohesion by building trust and enhancing interpersonal communication. Ultimately, collaborating to develop solutions facilitates finding compromises that are acceptable to all involved parties, thereby promoting effective and sustainable conflict resolution.

Collaboratively brainstorm solutions with the team. Encourage creative problem-solving and ensure the proposed solutions are feasible and align with the organization's goals.

Maintain harmony. We are culturally conditioned to look balance. We look for justice for those who have wronged us and they seek justice for where they feel wronged by the justice that was meted out to them. Harmony is much more like music with complex lines of dialogue, different voices blending together, and occasionally one voice leading while others support until it is time for someone else to lead with support. What makes musical harmony work is that there are clear rules and guidelines for how all the different voices interact. Time signatures, tempo directions, measures are understood by all and are masterfully led by a conductor who knows all the parts and how they best blend.

Continuously monitor the team dynamics and provide ongoing support. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions can help sustain the positive changes and address any emerging issues promptly.

Tailoring the approach to the specific context and personalities involved is crucial. Each team and conflict is unique, so flexibility and adaptability in your coaching strategy can make a significant difference in achieving a harmonious and productive team environment.