Managing Conflict With Direct Reports

Conflict is inevitable when people work together, and it’s one of the most difficult challenges facing managers. But it’s a challenge that successful leaders learn to address. Managers who develop an understanding of difference without judgment and are willing to see more than one perspective or solution are in a good position to manage conflict with their direct reports. Conflict between managers and direct reports highlights a power relationship and affects the work itself—the tasks for which managers and direct reports share responsibility. Managers who look to see both sides of conflict can resolve it, but it means assessing the differences between themselves and their direct reports and finding out how those differences affect the conflict. After assessing those differences, managers can devise a plan to use before, during, and after a conflict resolution session. They will be better prepared to understand emotions that can trigger conflict, to clarify performance expectations so their direct reports know what’s expected of them, and to provide ongoing feedback for the support and development of their direct reports.

Conflict between managers and direct reports affects their work and influences how productive and effective an organization can be. Managers who can see both sides of a conflict can resolve it, but that means assessing the differences between themselves and their direct reports and finding out how those differences impact the conflict. With that knowledge they can make a plan to use before, during, and after a conflict resolution session that clarifies performance expectations and provides ongoing feedback for support and development.

Conflict between managers and direct reports affects their work and influences how productive and effective an organization can be. Managers who can see both sides of a conflict can resolve it, but that means assessing the differences between themselves and their direct reports and finding out how those differences impact the conflict. With that knowledge they can make a plan to use before, during, and after a conflict resolution session that clarifies performance expectations and provides ongoing feedback for support and development.

Conflict between managers and direct reports affects their work and influences how productive and effective an organization can be. Managers who can see both sides of a conflict can resolve it, but that means assessing the differences between themselves and their direct reports and finding out how those differences impact the conflict. With that knowledge they can make a plan to use before, during, and after a conflict resolution session that clarifies performance expectations and provides ongoing feedback for support and development.

A great many peer conflicts arise from incompatible goals or from different views on how a task should be accomplished. With honest dialogue these kinds of conflicts can usually be resolved. But other peer conflicts are more troublesome because they involve personal values, office politics and power, and emotional reactions. To resolve these more difficult peer conflicts, managers should examine three key issues that can cause such clashes and also influence their outcome. One, they should assess their emotional “hot buttons” that trigger ineffective behaviors and make conflict difficult to manage. Two, they should examine their personal values and how those might conflict with what their peers find important. Finally, they should assess their power in the organization—which can be related to position, influence, expertise, or some other factor—and learn how to use it to manage conflicts. Navigating these issues won’t rid an organization of conflict among peers. But by paying attention to them managers can build effective relationships that will survive these inevitable conflicts and bolster their ability to achieve organizational goals.

While some of us enjoy a lively debate with colleagues and others prefer to suppress our feelings over disagreements, we all struggle with conflict at work. Every day we navigate an office full of competing interests, clashing personalities, limited time and resources, and fragile egos. Sure, we share the same overarching goals as our colleagues, but we don't always agree on how to achieve them. We work differently. We rub each other the wrong way. We jockey for position. How can you deal with conflict at work in a way that is both professional and productive—where it improves both your work and your relationships? You start by understanding whether you generally seek or avoid conflict, identifying the most frequent reasons for disagreement, and knowing what approaches work for what scenarios. Then, if you decide to address a particular conflict, you use that information to plan and conduct a productive conversation. The HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict will give you the advice you need to: Understand the most common sources of conflict Explore your options for addressing a disagreement Recognize whether you—and your counterpart—typically seek or avoid conflict Prepare for and engage in a difficult conversation Manage your and your counterpart's emotions Develop a resolution together Know when to walk away Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.

As individuals, we can be creative and ambitious in our personal lives and in our professional lives. But individual efforts can’t always match the energy and productivity of a group. Cultures, societies, clubs, schools, and militaries arose out of our need to band together for mutual support. Organizations were created to deal more effectively with the environment—both the natural world and the world of work. But there is a trade-off when we move from individual contributions to group efforts: the relationships necessary for working together can spawn conflict. In organizations, tensions between individuals need to be defused, or focused in order to find productive solutions to problems. This is especially critical when conflict arises between people at different levels in the organization, such as when you are having a conflict with your boss. These tensions aren’t easy to handle. Conflict can generate discomfort, anger, and ineffective behavior. Feelings such as fear and resentment can rise to the surface. Organizational issues such as unclear lines of authority, power, politics, and ineffective support systems also come into play. Although these internal and external factors create a rich and complicated landscape for conflict to flourish, a conflict with your boss doesn’t necessarily spell the end of your career with an organization. There are steps you can take to gain perspective on conflict and to manage the conflict so that it focuses your energy and your boss’s energy on the needs of the organization, moving both of you toward a more productive working relationship.

"In the tradition of bestselling explainers like The Tipping Point, [this] book [is] based on cutting edge science that breaks down the idea of extreme conflict--the kind that paralyzes people and places--and then shows how to escape it"--