What it is and where it comes from.
WHAT WORKPLACE CONFLICT IS
Disagreement or friction between people that affects how work gets done.
WHAT IT IS NOT
Necessarily a problem Always about personality Something that can be eliminated
WHY THAT MATTERS
Some disagreement is productive, and attempting to remove all friction produces silence rather than agreement.
WHAT PRODUCTIVE DISAGREEMENT LOOKS LIKE
Different views about how to do something Challenge to a proposal Debate about priorities
WHAT DESTRUCTIVE CONFLICT LOOKS LIKE
Personal hostility Withholding information or cooperation Undermining someone Avoidance that stops work Groups forming against each other
WHAT CAUSES IT
Unclear responsibilities Competing objectives Scarce resources Poor communication Perceived unfairness Genuine differences in judgement Personal incompatibility Unaddressed grievances accumulating
WHY UNCLEAR RESPONSIBILITY DOMINATES
Most workplace conflict is structural rather than personal, and it is attributed to personality.
WHAT THAT MEANS
Resolving it requires fixing the structure, not managing the people.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH BEFORE TREATING ANY CONFLICT AS PERSONAL
Whether the arrangement itself is causing it.
WHAT UNADDRESSED CONFLICT COSTS
Productivity Staff departures Information not shared Decisions avoided Other people drawn in
WHAT TO TREAT THIS CATEGORY AS
Practical guidance for managers and business owners.
