The Syrup: Conflict Management

By Susan L Combs | July 07, 2023 at 07:14 AM

Shared from BenefitsPro

Conflict is never easy.  We can sometimes kid ourselves that when it comes to business, it’s not personal.  But it is.  We aren’t working with machines; we’re working with people who have their own personalities, their own experiences, and their own aspirations.  

A reader reached out recently and said she was having issues with conflict management stemming from unclear roles and responsibilities between teams. She feels that her team has been left out of brainstorming and decision-making processes. As a result, this is causing the culture to become exclusive rather than inclusive.  

The easy answer would be to write out the processes and shift the culture, but there are various factors, including size, that can complicate matters. So, how can you be a champion within your own firm?

I worked for a large firm prior to starting my brokerage, and you could always see very quickly who the leaders were within a team.  If that leader is you, it’s probably time  to step up.  You know how they say that change starts with you?  I know it can sound cliché, but it really does.  Oftentimes, when you put things in place to shift the culture within your team, you can serve as an example to others.  

Here are some steps I would look at taking to aid in the shift:

1. Identify the source of the conflict or confusion.   Is it a person or is it a process?  If it’s a process, and there is an existing outline, it might be outdated.  If it’s a person, it likely stems from fear.
2. Update and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of your team.  This should involve creating a list of goals and tasks for which your team is responsible.  This helps with overlap and prevents confusion.  I would do a one-sheeter on this and just keep it simple.
3. After you have come up with the process, I would encourage you to set up meetings with other teams you’ll be working with closely in order to set the tone that your team wants to be inclusive and work together but wants to streamline the process. This will encourage others to follow suit. 
4. Create and enforce boundaries.  I’m not saying you should be the person who is always saying “that’s not my job,” but it can help your team take ownership of what they should and bring in an alternative team when it falls into their wheelhouse.  This will help modeling become more inclusive, which is what you want.  
5. Lead by example.   If your team is feeling left out, don’t do that to another team.  We all know everyone doesn’t need to be in every meeting, but sometimes by giving others the option to participate and letting them know that you value their voice, you’ll see a shift and they will start to value yours.  

This isn’t an airtight strategy to prevent all conflict in your organization;, however, when there is conflict, it’s often due to a lack of direction or information.  If there is a deficit, his will help to clarify both.

When you break it down, this type of conflict can often be resolved through a combination of effective communication, collaboration, and problem solving.  But you must be on board and not everyone will be.  My dad was a Major General in the Air Force and frequently had to look at different roles, responsibilities and conflict. When I was dealing with a business issue, I remember him once saying, “80% of issues revolve around personnel and all of it is personnel.” 

By implementing these practices, teams can be more effective at resolving conflicts stemming from unclear roles and responsibilities. But it won’t happen overnight.  You might have to throw some spaghetti on the wall until something sticks!

Good luck, my friend!