How to manage team conflict

Many are aware that conflict can cause issues in a team, but less people are aware why it happens at all. Simply put, conflict happens because we’re all different. Everyone has unique life experiences and core values. Disagreement can arise from a clash of needs, priorities, goals, or ideas related to these personal experiences and values. Check out the activity below for the many types of conflict that can occur within teams:

But this isn’t to say that differences aren’t a good thing—in fact, many cases will require your teams to be diverse in order to succeed. The real problem isn’t that we’re different, but that many lack awareness of others and themselves. To build trust and empower employees to work through disagreements, you must encourage them to understand each other’s perspectives. Without that awareness, they can’t make a conscious effort to improve their relationships.