Two of your team members have really gotten into it. Their disagreement has escalated from a squabble to a full-blown argument, and now they want you to resolve it. What’s the best way for you to step in? Your instinct might be to immediately fix the problem by making an executive decision, but your team will benefit more if you intervene as a mediator. Ask your colleagues to engage in a mediation process with you. Explain your hope that everyone will work together to find a resolution. And set a ground rule that they should focus on reaching agreement, not on persuading you that one of them is right. Taking this mediator approach will enable your colleagues to resolve the conflict themselves, making them less dependent on you to sort out future problems, and making it more likely that they’ll follow through on the solution. In most workplace arguments, dictating a solution is less effective in the long run than showing your employees how to talk through their concerns together.
Adapted from "How to Handle a Disagreement on Your Team," by Jeanne Brett and Stephen B. Goldberg
