Workplace tension can be incredibly damaging for staff morale and for productivity. The best team leaders are those with incredible conflict resolution skills, who take firm and decisive action.
Without direct action, tensions in the workplace can quickly get out of hand. Disputes occur for all sorts of reasons and even seemingly minor things such as talking too loudly on the phone can cause resentment.
Letting disagreements fester can be disruptive and demoralising for your whole team. You need strong conflict resolution skills to nip simmering tensions in the bud, before they become a serious problem.
Make yourself available to your team, so that they feel they can approach you to air their grievances. Listen to them, understand everyone's perspective and be aware of potential conflicts.
Once someone has come to you with a complaint, you need to take the other person away for a 'quiet conversation', to get their side of the story. Without naming the complainant, let them know an issue has been brought to your attention and set out what your expectations are.
Next, you need to closely monitor the situation, checking in with both parties to see whether things have improved. This can be a long game. People may amend their behaviour for a while before sliding back into old habits.
Where conflicts are starting to escalate, you could bring both parties together to discuss it in a managed way. This is a difficult judgment call, perhaps a technique best used if you cannot resolve the problem speaking one-to-one.
The worst thing you can do when it comes to conflict management is bury your head in the sand. You need to take a swift, rational and even-handed approach, so that both sides feel they have been treated fairly.
Listen to your team
Speak to those involved one-to-one
Monitor the situation
Hold managed discussions
