When should you get involved in Team Conflict?

One of the first decisions a manager has to make after they have noticed conflict is whether to get involved or not.

Usually if a conflict is serious enough to be brought to your attention as manager, it will require your involvement.

However, not every conflict will need attention, sometimes team members may resolve conflict between themselves before your input is necessary.

It may turn out all that’s needed is a simple “I noticed you two were having some issues but looks like you’ve resolved them. Brilliant, let me know if you need anything.” Often the best way forward when you are aware of an ongoing situation is simply to keep an eye on it.

It’s equally important not to ignore conflict completely in the hope it will simply ‘go away’. Because conflict can fester and get worse if unresolved, it’s important we don’t leave it to grow out of control.

It is possible to use conflict to your advantage when it does arise, to get things done or out in the open.

However, if conflict is not handled efficiently this can backfire and lead to further problems that can damage performance and working relationships.

Remember, not all conflict is bad, but all conflict has the potential to turn bad if it’s managed badly.

Are you getting involved in conflict due to personal bias?

When deciding whether or not to get involved in resolving conflict, and later if we do get involved, it’s important to separate the cause of the conflict and the issue itself from the individuals involved to avoid showing bias.

Ask yourself- Am I entering into this situation because I have/ entering into this situation with, a preconceived, biased view of what’s happened and who’s responsible based on my personal feelings about the individuals involved?

If you decide to wade in on a situation because you already believe one person is in the right because you get on better with them whereas the other person causes you more trouble, you’re probably doing it for the wrong reasons.

Allowing your own personal bias to influence your decision on whether or not it’s appropriate to get involved in the situation and then how to handle it, before you know the facts, will only lead to further issues.

We are all guilty of this on occasions so it’s important to check yourself to ensure you’re not doing this either consciously or subconsciously.

Does your team think you should be involved?

When deciding whether to step in to resolve a conflict it can be helpful to ask those involved.

Sometimes if you become aware of a situation, approaching the people in conflict directly, politely pointing out that you have noticed there seems to be some difficulties between them, asking what’s happening and if they would like any help resolving it, can be a good place to start.

It may be that this is the nudge they need to sort the situation out between them and avoid further managerial involvement.

Likewise, asking any team-member who approaches you with news of a conflict what’s happened and whether they believe you should step in, can be a good indicator of the seriousness of the situation and help to discourage anyone ‘stirring’ drama unnecessarily.

Asking the team at large or a trusted colleague about a situation and what they feel would be the best course of action can help you to gage whether to step in.

Similarly, when trying to resolve a conflict situation, the solution has to be fair to everybody involved and something all parties can agree to or it’s unlikely people will stick to it.

The best way to ensure conflict is resolved fairly is to talk to your team and those involved in the conflict and come to an agreed resolution together.

Remember your job is to mediate and facilitate a resolution to conflict, not control or impose sanctions.

Do you have the time and resources to stay on top of the conflict long term?

When deciding whether to get involved in conflict resolution, you need to make sure you’ve got the time to dedicate.

A good manager will make time for resolving serious conflicts, but there’s only so many hours in the day, and sometimes it’s worth taking a step back and questioning whether certain conflicts need your time and resources.

It’s important to remember that most conflicts will require following up, so getting involved in a conflict may be signing up for months of checking in, reminding those involved what was agreed, asking how it’s going, and whether it’s solved the problem.

Be careful when choosing to mediate a conflict that you are able to bring everyone back to the table at a later date and follow up and that any solution reached is something you can provide, or you could end up inadvertently making promises you can’t keep which could lead to further conflict.