When the friction is between groups.
WHY IT DIFFERS FROM INDIVIDUAL CONFLICT
It is usually structural, and it persists regardless of who occupies the roles.
WHAT CAUSES IT
Competing objectives Measures that reward one at the other's expense Unclear boundaries of responsibility Dependence without authority Information not shared Historical grievance
WHY COMPETING OBJECTIVES DOMINATE
Teams pursue what they are measured on, and conflicting measures produce conflict reliably.
WHAT EXAMPLES LOOK LIKE
Sales measured on volume against operations measured on cost Production measured on output against quality measured on defects One team's speed depending on another team's thoroughness
WHAT TO EXAMINE FIRST
The objectives and measures.
WHY
Changing them resolves conflict that no amount of relationship building will.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Whether the two teams' success can be achieved simultaneously.
WHAT TO DO IF NOT
Change what they are measured on.
WHAT TO ADDRESS ABOUT BOUNDARIES
Who is responsible for what, particularly at the interface.
WHY AT THE INTERFACE
That is where the work falls through and where blame is allocated.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Explicit responsibility for handovers.
WHAT HELPS BEYOND STRUCTURE
Shared objectives Contact between the teams Understanding of each other's constraints Joint problem-solving
WHY UNDERSTANDING CONSTRAINTS
Teams attribute to unwillingness what is actually inability.
WHAT TO ARRANGE
People spending time in the other team's work.
WHY
It changes attribution more than any meeting.
WHAT TO AVOID
Addressing it as a communication problem alone.
WHY
It is usually a structural problem communicated about.
