Mind Spark #9 – Bridges Over Fire: Leading Through Cross-Team Conflict

Reflecting on a recent cross-team conflict.

“The true role of a manager extends beyond conflict resolution to proactively building understanding that prevents future problems and deepens collaboration.

Conflicts between team members from different departments can escalate quickly, especially when roles, priorities, personality, or communication styles clash. As managers, we have a unique opportunity to step in early, de-escalate tension, and guide the situation toward a resolution before it spirals out of control. I’ve learned key approaches that have helped me navigate these situations more effectively. Here’s what’s worked.

1. Seek to understand the whole story.

When a team member or another member approaches you with a conflict, it is essential to understand what happened fully. As discussed in previous blogs, this is the time to apply active listening skills. Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions to both team members, but do not rush to jump to conclusions or take sides. By doing so, both team members will feel heard and respected, and you will reduce the risk of deepening the conflict.

2. Align with the other manager early.

After obtaining a clear perspective, we should engage with the other manager. In most cases, having a one-on-one in-person conversation with the other manager can often resolve the issue without involving additional layers of management. Working together could get both teams aligned on expectations and outcomes. Two managers must create a safe environment and bring the team members together for a constructive conversation. By engaging with the other manager, you also signal that you're willing to resolve the issue internally and collaboratively, without involving HR too soon. HR may eventually need to be involved, but a thoughtful alignment between managers can prevent that. 

3. Avoid involving HR unless necessary. 

HR typically steps in only for serious policy violations involving illegal, unethical, or immoral behavior. Day-to-day team conflicts? That’s our responsibility as leaders. It’s part of what leadership is about: addressing issues, fostering dialogue, and finding solutions. A key mistake to avoid is approaching HR before aligning with the other manager. This move can damage trust and give the impression that you're unwilling to resolve issues collaboratively before seeking HR's intervention.

The best managers don’t just fix problems; they build bridges of understanding so fewer fires start in the first place. What do you think?

#Leadership #Communication #Collaboration #ConlictResolution

Image generated by ChatGPT