Conflict in teams is inevitable, but how leaders choose to handle it can be the difference between a thriving team and a toxic workplace. In a study by Quantum Workplace and Fierce Conversations, they found that 53 percent of employees are handling “toxic” situations by ignoring them. Just 24 percent reported having confronted a difficult situation directly. In the same research, more than 40 percent of people believe that once alerted, company leadership would do nothing to address the problem. Ignoring these issues doesn’t just cause discomfort, it impacts team absence, healthcare costs, grievances, retention, and can create a toxic work environment. In this blog, we provide you with three things that will help you address conflict productively.

The first thing you can do is understand what is actually happening in the brain and body when faced with conflict. When a threat is perceived, our brain acts as if we are actually in danger and prepares our body to respond to the threat. Daniel Goleman coined this “amygdala hijack” in his 1995 book, “Emotional Intelligence.” It is an emotional reaction that is out of proportion to the circumstance - the rational brain is bypassed, and signals are sent to the emotional part of our brain. Our body releases adrenaline and cortisol to help us escape danger. This in turn reduces our ability to think and solve problems, we are basically on hyper-alert and ready to run. It is important to know this because if we are aware, we can help the brain separate the emotional response from what is actually happening. As a leader, recognizing this response in yourself and your team allows you to pause and guide others toward a calmer, more productive discussion. Now that you understand how the brain reacts to conflict, let’s explore what you can do as a leader to manage these situations productively.

When conflict arises, you have three choices: do nothing, mediate between the parties, or act as a referee by working with each side separately. Each option has its pros and cons, and as a leader, your goal is to help employees build the skills to resolve conflict independently. As a leader you need to decide what you are willing to do in each situation. Building trust and psychological safety takes time, but it’s crucial for empowering your team to address disagreements constructively. When you clearly communicate your position with those involved you set the expectations that conflict is normal, it will arise, and it must be worked through productively. Having the power to disagree does not have to come from anger, it can come from a good place.

The third thing you can do as a leader is to reframe how you and your employees think about conflict. Instead of seeing conflict as a battle to win, encourage your team to view it as a way to understand different perspectives. It doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. We all have different perspectives, ways we see the world - it doesn’t necessarily mean that one is right, and one is wrong, just different. By using curiosity to help each person state their perspective and what they want the outcome to be will uncover a clear understanding of the actual disagreement and depersonalize it which will end the amygdala hijack. As the emotional reaction is reduced, we are able to see things more clearly and be open to different solutions.

Creating an environment where your team can disagree respectfully and productively is key to building a high performing team. Your role in creating that environment is critical. Use these three tips with your team to productively address conflict.

Are you ready to take your team to the next level? Let’s talk about how we can help.