How to Resolve Conflicts in Agile Teams

At Amazon, two of my top engineers had a shouting match that ended in tears. This could be a sign of a toxic workplace or a sign of passion and motivation. Whether it becomes toxic or not all comes down to how management deals with conflict. In order to deal with conflict in your team, it is first essential to understand it. A Harvard study has identified that there are 4 types of conflict that are common in teams: 1. The Boxing Match: Two people within a team disagree 2. The Solo Dissenter: Conflict surrounds one individual 3. Warring Factions: Two subgroups within a team disagree 4. The Blame Game: The whole team is in disagreement My engineers shouting at each other is an example of the boxing match. They were both passionate and dedicated to the project, but their visions were different. This type of passion is a great driver for a healthy team, but if the conflict were to escalate it could quickly become toxic and counterproductive. In order to de-escalate the shouting, I brought them into a private mediation. This is where one of the engineers started to cry because he was so passionate about his vision for the project. The important elements of managing this conflict in a healthy and productive way were: 1) Giving space for each of the engineers to explain their vision 2) Mediating their discussion so that they could arrive at a productive conclusion 3) Not killing either of their passion by making them feel unheard or misunderstood Ultimately, we were able to arrive at a productive path forward with both engineers feeling heard and respected. They both continued to be top performers. In today’s newsletter, I go more deeply into how to address “Boxing Match” conflicts as both a manager and an IC. I also explain how to identify and address the other 3 common types of team conflict. You can read the newsletter here https://lnkd.in/gXYr9T3r Readers- How have you seen team member conflict handled well in your careers?

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲-𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, but it’s inevitable. Yet, many don't know how to handle it effectively. Once I got curious about what causes conflict, I realized most are rooted on 3 sources: 𝟭. 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆: Conflict often happens when parties lack access to the same data. Their decisions clash because they’re not working with the same information. At Google Home, the e-commerce team and I didn't see eye to eye on a new service launch strategy. The economics impacted their channel performance, but after I shared the roadmap of future services that would offset the challenges, we aligned. With both teams accessing the same "data set", the conflict dissolved.     𝟮. 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀: Sometimes, everyone has the same facts but different priorities. One side might focus on quality vs. speed. Having a common set of principles or philosophies helps drive alignment.     While leading the transition from G Suite to Google Workspace, we restructured features across 20+ apps. Each app team had different approaches, making alignment difficult. But once we agreed on principles—like target customers profiles per subscription tier—decision-making became much easier.     𝟯. 𝗘𝗴𝗼: Sometimes it's not about data or principles— it's personal. A party may feel slighted or passed over, leading them to derail plans (consciously or unconsciously). In such cases, escalation is often the best solution.     At Adobe, I worked to align product leaders on a strategy, but some personal grievances and turf wars slowed progress. Even with shared data and principles, the conflict persisted. Escalating to senior management helped resolve the impasse and get everyone on board. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁: 𝟭. 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱: Identify the root cause: data gap, philosophical difference, or ego? Approach with empathy, curiosity, and zero judgment. 𝟮. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀: Share all relevant info. Ensure both sides work from the same set of truths. 𝟯. 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀: Once aligned on facts, agree on guiding principles. Debate principles, not the issue itself. 𝟰. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Collaborate on options, weighing pros and cons together. 𝟱. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Choose a solution, document it, and share with all involved. Include names and dates—this adds accountability and prevents reopening the issue. 𝟲. 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆: If all else fails, it's likely ego-driven and escalation might be necessary—and that’s okay when done responsibly. Next time conflict arises, don’t rush to fix it or let frustration take over. Step back, identify the cause, and handle it methodically. #leadership #conflict

I used to avoid conflict at all costs, then I realized workplace conflict isn’t the problem. Avoiding it is. I saw firsthand how unresolved conflict could derail teams. Miscommunication turned into resentment, small issues escalated, and productivity suffered. But when handled correctly, those same conflicts became opportunities: building trust, strengthening teams, and driving better results. That’s where RESOLVE comes in: a clear, professional framework to turn workplace tension into teamwork. **Recognize the Conflict** - Identify the issue before it escalates. - Determine if it is a personality clash, miscommunication, or a deeper structural problem. - Acknowledge emotions while staying objective. **Engage in Active Listening** - Approach the conversation with curiosity, not judgment. - Let each party share their perspective without interruption. - Use reflective listening: paraphrase what you heard to confirm understanding. **Seek Common Ground** - Identify shared goals and interests. - Shift the focus from personal grievances to organizational objectives. - Find areas where alignment already exists to build rapport. **Outline the Issues Clearly** - Define the specific problems and their impact. - Differentiate between facts, perceptions, and emotions. - Keep the discussion solution-focused rather than blame-focused. **Look for Solutions Together** - Encourage collaboration in brainstorming possible resolutions. - Evaluate each solution based on feasibility, fairness, and alignment with company values. - Ensure all parties feel heard and that the resolution is practical. **Validate and Implement Agreements** - Confirm agreement on the resolution and next steps. - Establish clear expectations and accountability measures. - Follow up to ensure continued commitment and adjustment if needed. **Evaluate and Improve** - Reflect on what worked and what didn’t. - Seek feedback on the conflict resolution process. - Use lessons learned to improve communication and prevent future conflicts. This framework ensures professionalism, encourages collaboration, and fosters a healthy workplace culture where conflicts are addressed constructively rather than ignored or escalated. What's been your experience dealing with conflict? Comment below.

As a Scrum Master, one valuable lesson I've learned is the power of our language in shaping team dynamics. I avoid saying things like "You are wrong" or "that's wrong." Saying someone is wrong can create a defensive stance and hinder open communication. Instead, I go for phrases like: "Let's explore this together." "I appreciate your input; let's examine the impact together." "I see it from a different perspective; can we discuss it?" "What led you to that conclusion? Let's talk through it." Why is this important? As a team and as individuals, we're all on a journey of continuous improvement, and embracing diverse perspectives is at its core. It is a team sport! Embracing different viewpoints fosters collaboration, leading to innovative solutions. Agile thrives on learning and adapting...so any constructive dialogue will promote a learning environment; which ultimately helps teams evolve and grow. Positive communication builds trust and strengthens team dynamics. Dear Scrum Master, always choose words that uplift; you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. #AgileMindset #Collaboration #ContinuousImprovement #ScrumMasters

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀? 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺!   Workplace conflicts 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀. Ignoring them can damage 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁.   That’s exactly what was happening to Daniel.   Here’s how Daniel (A Client of mine) turned a workplace conflict into a leadership win.   𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹, 𝗮 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆   Daniel leads a 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺— but something felt off.   Two of his best employees, 𝗠𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵, had stopped talking to each other.   • They avoided eye contact in meetings.    • They sent passive-aggressive emails instead of having quick chats.    • They blamed each other when a project deadline was missed.   At first, Daniel thought, “𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁.”   But weeks passed. The tension only 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲.   • The team felt the stress. • Productivity dropped. • Collaboration fell apart.   Daniel knew he had to 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻.   𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄?   That’s when he applied the 𝟳-𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.   ✅ WHO is involved?   He called Mike and Sarah for a private discussion. He made sure both felt heard.   ✅ WHAT is the problem?   Turns out, the real issue was miscommunication. Sarah thought Mike was withholding information. Mike thought Sarah wasn’t following up properly.   ✅ WHEN did it start?   A small misunderstanding from a month ago had snowballed into resentment.   ✅ WHERE is it happening?   Most of their conversations happened over email, where tone was often misinterpreted.   ✅ WHY is it still a problem?   Neither of them tried to clarify things earlier. They assumed the other person was being difficult.   ✅ WHICH factors made it worse?   Tight deadlines and stress made both more defensive. Lack of direct communication allowed the issue to grow.   ✅ HOW did Daniel fix it?   He got Mike and Sarah to talk face-to-face instead of relying on email.   He implemented weekly check-ins to ensure they aligned better.   He encouraged team-wide transparency to prevent similar issues in the future.   🎯 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁?   Within a week, the tension was gone.   Sarah and Mike started collaborating again, and team performance bounced back.   𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻:   ➡ Conflicts don’t solve themselves. Great leaders step in early, ask the right questions, create lasting solutions.   If you’re a leader handling team conflicts, here’s a framework that can help.   Check out the infographic below to learn how to use it! 👇   𝗣.𝗦.   📩 Want a step-by-step plan for handling workplace conflicts?   Send me a DM, and let’s build a conflict-proof strategy for your team.   💬 What’s the toughest team conflict you’ve handled? Drop it in the comments! 👇   #peakimpactmentorship #growth #leadership