Strategies for Dealing with Team Conflicts in Tech

There's one pattern I've seen repeatedly in all my years in the business: Engineering teams and product teams locked in constant conflict. Engineers complain about unclear requirements and constant scope changes. Product managers grumble about missed deadlines and pushback on features. Simple requests turn into lengthy debates. Most leaders try to fix this with: - New processes - Different frameworks - Team reorganizations - "Managing the healthy tension" But here's what I discovered: The root cause isn't personalities or communication. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. When engineers are rewarded for code quality and technical excellence while product managers are evaluated on shipping features and hitting roadmap milestones, you've designed conflict into your system. After years of trial and error, here's what worked for us: ✅ Make customer impact the north star metric for BOTH teams ✅ Give engineers context about business goals and include product teams in technical planning ✅ Reward collaboration and joint problem-solving over individual achievements When we aligned incentives around customer outcomes, engineers started proposing creative solutions and product managers became more receptive to technical considerations. Your organization's reward systems create the behavior you see. What steps are you taking to align incentives in your organization? #ProductDevelopment #EngineeringLeadership #TechManagement

Managing conflict in my team is never easy but it's part of the job. Handling conflict within my team is a task that comes with its set of challenges, but it's essential for keeping the team functional and happy. Here's how I typically go about running a team meeting to address conflict: 1. Recognizing the Source: First, I identify what's causing the conflict. Before we even sit down for a meeting, I pinpoint what's causing the issue by talking to everyone involved. This usually involves speaking privately with the team members involved to understand their viewpoints. 2. Establish Objectives: Before calling the meeting, I define what we aim to achieve. Is it conflict resolution, finding a middle ground, or simply airing out grievances? Knowing the objective helps structure the conversation. 3. Set Guidelines: I establish ground rules for the meeting to ensure a safe space. This includes allowing everyone to speak without interruption and keeping the conversation respectful and on-point. 4. Facilitate Dialogue: During the meeting, I act as a facilitator rather than a dictator. I guide the conversation, ensure everyone has a say, and keep the discussion focused on the issue, not personal attacks. 5. Reach an Agreement: Once everyone has had their say, we work towards a solution. This is usually a compromise that may not satisfy everyone entirely but serves the greater good of the team. 6. Action Plan: We end the meeting by laying out an action plan, defining who will do what, by when, to resolve the issue. 7. Follow-Up: A few days to a week after the meeting, I follow up with the individuals involved and the team as a whole to ensure that the action items are being implemented and to see if the conflict has been resolved or reduced. By approaching conflict with a structured, open dialogue, and a focus on resolution, I find we can often turn what could be a divisive issue into an opportunity for team growth. "The best way to resolve conflicts is facing them, not avoiding them." Have a Positive, Productive and Safe Day! #TeamConflict #ConflictResolution #Leadership #TeamGrowth #EffectiveCommunication

Conflict gets a bad rap in the workplace. Early in my career, I believed conflict had no place in a healthy workplace. As I progressed, I realized that it was quite the contrary. The lack of conflict isn't a sign of a healthy work culture, rather it is an indication that important debates, discussions and differing viewpoints are being disregarded or suppressed. This insight revealed another key aspect: high-performing teams do not shy away from conflict. They embrace it, leveraging diverse opinions to drive optimal outcomes for customers. What sets these teams apart is their ability to handle conflict constructively. So how can this be achieved? I reached out to my friend Andrea Stone, Leadership Coach and Founder of Stone Leadership, for some tips on effectively managing conflict in the workplace. Here's the valuable guidance she provided: 1. Pause: Take a moment to assess your feelings in the heat of the moment. Be curious about your emotions, resist immediate reactions, and take the time to understand the why behind your feelings. 2. Seek the Other Perspective: Engage genuinely, listen intently, show real interest, and ask pertinent questions. Remember to leave your preconceived judgments at the door. 3. Acknowledge Their Perspective: Express your understanding of their viewpoint. If their arguments have altered your perspective, don't hesitate to share this with them. 4. Express Your Viewpoint: If your opinion remains unswayed, seek permission to explain your perspective and experiences. Remember to speak from your viewpoint using "I" statements. 5. Discuss the Bigger Objective: Identify common grounds and goals. Understand that each person might have a different, bigger picture in mind. This process can be taxing, so prepare beforehand. In prolonged conflict situations, don't hesitate to suggest breaks to refresh and refuel mentally, physically, and emotionally. 6. Know Your Limits: If the issue is of significant importance to you, be aware of your boundaries. For those familiar with negotiation tactics, know your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). 7. Finalize Agreements: Once an agreement has been reached, continue the engagement to agree on responsibilities and timeframes. This ensures clarity on the outcome and commitments made. PS: Approach such situations with curiosity and assume others are trying to do the right thing. 🔁 Useful? I would appreciate a repost. Image Credit: Hari Haralambiev ----- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸? Avoiding difficult conversations can damage your leadership and hurt your team’s performance. If you’re not addressing issues, you’re allowing problems to grow. ✅ Are you ignoring tough conversations and hoping the problem will go away? ✅ Do workplace conflicts keep piling up, leaving you more stressed? ✅ Is your leadership credibility at risk because you don’t know how to manage tough talks? If your answer is yes to any of these, you’re not alone! 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀: 𝟲𝟱% of workplace conflicts remain unresolved because of avoidance (Stanford University). 𝟰𝟬% of employees who avoid conflict feel disengaged (Gallup). 𝟲𝟬% of managers believe avoiding conflict leads to lower productivity (HBR). 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆: 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻’𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 John, a team leader in a software company, avoided discussing delays with a colleague. He hoped the problem would fix itself, but it only got worse. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱: • The project suffered constant delays. • His team lost trust in his leadership. • John became stressed and doubted his own abilities. • Tension within the team led to poor performance. John reached out for coaching, and we worked together to fix the problem. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: 𝟱 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗪𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝗻 • Emotional intelligence. • Conflict resolution skills. • Leadership assertiveness. • Strategic decision-making. • Effective communication. 𝟱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: John recognized his fear of rejection was holding him back. 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: John learned to stay calm during conversations by using breathing techniques. 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: He let his colleague speak first, building trust and empathy. 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆: John focused on team goals instead of blame, asking, “How can we solve this together?” 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀: John and his colleague agreed on deadlines and weekly check-ins to stay on track. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 John confronted the issue head-on, restoring trust in his leadership and improving team communication. The project was completed on time, and John earned recognition for his strong leadership skills. 𝗗𝗼’𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁𝘀 ✅ Do address issues early. ✅ Do listen with empathy. ✅ Do stay calm and focused. ❌ Don’t avoid tough conversations. ❌ Don’t let fear stop you from acting. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱-𝗼𝗻? 𝗣.𝗦. Let’s work together to unlock your leadership potential! 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲, and let's create a customized solution just for you. #peakimpactmentorship #leadership #success #interviewtips #communication

Great PMMs are great communicators. Yet, I've noticed many PMMs shy away from directly communicating issues/conflicts. So here is my 3-step approach to communicating conflicts: Granted, no one likes to confront others or share negative feedback. Earlier in my career, I did everything possible to skirt the problem. But that just led to simmered frustrations and resentment, creating a distrustful work environment for everyone. This is why direct communication is so important: ✅ Open, honest conversations build trust. Sharing difficult things shows our vulnerability. Doing the opposite—burying the problem or talking behind people’s backs—leads to distrust and a breakdown in psychological safety. ✅Constructive feedback is essential for personal and professional development, no matter how uncomfortable. We miss opportunities to grow and improve when we avoid giving or receiving it. This is also an essential leadership skill. ✅ Small issues can turn into significant roadblocks if not addressed. Direct communication can help dispel any misunderstandings quickly and help put the team first. ❓ So how do you confront issues directly the next time you feel someone stole your credit, the product team is keeping you in the dark, or something else? 1️⃣ Focus on the problem and not the person. Before approaching a conversation, take time to organize your thoughts. Focus on specific behaviors or outcomes you observed rather than personal attributes, and stick to the facts. 2️⃣ Choose the right time and place: Timing is everything. You can find a private and neutral setting where you can speak openly without distractions or interruptions. I recommend doing this in a 1-1, after the event has passed a bit (but don’t wait so long that the momentum is lost), so everyone can objectively reflect back on the incident. 3️⃣ Practice active listening: Approach the conversation with empathy and be ready to listen. Be open and ready to receive feedback in turn. Understanding the other person’s perspective can help you reach a mutually beneficial solution. Here is to better communications! What has worked well for you? P.S. The image is of the amazing Liz Fosslien! #productmarketing #growth #career #coaching