Think Your Remote Team Doesn’t Have Conflict? Think Again

“Conflict in virtual teams is more likely to be negative for performance, and is more likely to escalate.”  Lindred Greer, Stanford.

So, we’ve been at this remote thing for a while now. With many of my clients, it’s working well, others not so much. The main culprit? Miscommunication.

You know how sometimes you read an email or text and it makes you so mad, but you don’t know why? Maybe it was too curt, or too many/not enough emojis, or ALL IN CAPS. Those emails may have been a conversation in the office, either one-on-one or in a group meeting. Now, in a remote environment, these can get misconstrued, assumptions get made, and we all know what that means…

Conflict or dissension among your employees is rising and it’s affecting performance. Here are a few ways it may be showing up within your team:

• The fan-favorite blame game.
• Personality clashes.
• Decrease in productivity.
• High turnover.
• Missing deadlines.
• Increase in stress/sick leave.

So, as a manager, what can you do?

Being able to identify and manage conflict is an essential skill for leadership. If you’re in charge, it has to start with you.

• Identify the root cause.
• Get your head out of your…
• Create a safe environment for difficult conversations.
• Bring in additional resources (Mediator, Consultant, HR)

If this sounds like your team, schedule a CALL, and let’s create some strategies that you can implement TODAY.