What Resolving Conflicts Requires

Maintaining Unity on a TeamImage PlaceholderWhat to do During team meetings, you should treat others the way you'd like to be treated. Think before you speak so your message is clear. And instead of becoming defensive, respond to criticism by using phrases like "I can understand why you might think that" or "I can understand how that could be frustrating for you."

Maintaining Unity on a TeamImage PlaceholderWhat not to do Team members will feel safe in meetings if you refrain from snickering, eye rolling, or whispering to neighbors. Avoid making judgmental criticisms.Maintaining Unity on a TeamCreating a safe environment for meetings can eliminate communication barriers in a couple of ways.The people who screen out criticism may open up and feel less defensive. They'll be more likely to listen to their team members and change any detrimental behavior.Bluffing will also decrease, since the insecure members will be assured that nobody on the team is perfect. Knowing others won't ridicule them if they don't know something will reduce the need for them to pretend they have the answers.The idea crushers will be silenced, or at least they'll pause and carefully word their criticisms before speaking.Maintaining Unity on a TeamWhen team members make it a priority to get clarification when they don't understand, a couple of things will happen:You'll find that jargon users will learn to stop speaking in code if they're constantly being asked to clarify what they mean.Bluffing will also decrease. Those "know-it-all" team members will be more honest if they know they'll be asked pointed and clarifying questions about what they say.Maintaining Unity on a TeamSometimes teams are divided, and you have to work at bringing them together. When you maintain unity on the team, you eliminate polarization. People will stop taking sides as they realize that a cohesive team is much more successful than a divided one:If you sense that people are taking sides over an issue, or rallying behind certain team members, you could try to build bridges between the two sides.You can maintain team unity by identifying compromises and win-win solutions.You should remind team members that a cohesive team is an effective team. Division will hamper good communication and teamwork.