How to Handle a Disagreement on Your Team

When a disagreement erupts between two people on your team, it might be tempting to jump in and impose a decision on them. While this may certainly be the fastest (and possibly least painful) way to a resolution, it won’t help your team members figure out how to resolve conflicts on their own. Therefore, it’s better as a manager to rely on your mediation skills, not your authority. The first step of playing the role of mediator is to understand both of their positions – what one is claiming and the other rejecting, and their interests – why they are making and rejecting the claims. You can do this in a joint meeting with both parties or in separate meetings.  decide whether to initially meet with the parties together or separately. Both approaches have pros and cons. The goal of the initial meeting is to have them leave with emotions abated and feeling respected by you, if not yet by each other. With that done, you then want to focus on getting their positions, interests, and priorities out on the table. Throughout the process encourage them to take responsibility for moving toward an agreement. If all of your efforts fail to produce a settlement, you may need to shed your mediator role and, as the boss, impose an outcome that is in the best interests of the organization.