Common causes of conflicts in the team
Team conflicts rarely arise out of nowhere. Often, they are underlying factors that build up over weeks or months:
- Unclear division of roles: Who does what? If tasks are not clearly assigned, friction quickly arises.
- Communication problems: Misunderstandings, unspoken expectations, or lack of feedback can easily lead to conflicts.
- Different values and working styles: Diversity is a strength – but only if differences are recognized and integrated.
- Stress and overload: Under pressure, empathy and patience often decrease – conflicts arise more quickly.
- Lack of leadership or orientation: If there is no clear moderation, conflicts escalate more easily.
Warning signs: How to recognize that a team conflict is smoldering
Not every conflict is openly displayed. Often, a tense team dynamic manifests itself through:
- Withdrawal of individual team members
- Frequent misunderstandings or “offended silence”
- Decreasing motivation and declining work performance
- Clique formation or underlying competition
- Irony, sarcasm, or underlying attacks
If these signs occur more frequently, it is time to take action – before the conflict escalates.
The key: Open and targeted communication
Good conflict resolution begins with communication. This does not mean “discussing” everything immediately, but rather creating targeted space for conversations:
Anyone who only wants to clarify the question of blame will rarely find a solution.
John Gottman discovered the Magic Ratio 5:1. It takes five positive interactions or compliments to compensate for one negative interaction in a relationship.
Often it is enough that all parties involved feel taken seriously.
Sometimes it helps to adjust processes or responsibilities to avoid friction.
Team-oriented leadership promotes open communication and actively supports conflict resolution.
When you can't do it alone anymore: Mediation as a way out of the impasse
Some conflicts are so entrenched that a conversation in the team alone is no longer enough. In such cases, external moderation or mediation in the team can help to find new ways. A neutral person leads through the clarification process and ensures a safe environment in which everyone has their say.
Mediation can be helpful if:
- the team is going around in circles and no solution is visible
- Mistrust and accusations burden cooperation
- previous attempts at clarification have failed
- the working relationship should be maintained in the long term
- the moderators themselves are too strongly involved to remain solution-oriented in the interests of everyone.
Conclusion: Team conflicts are normal – but solvable
Conflicts in the team are part of everyday work – what is decisive is how we deal with them. Anyone who ignores conflicts or hopes they will “resolve themselves” risks long-term damage to cooperation. This makes it all the more important to recognize tensions early on, address them openly and, if necessary, seek external support. A clear and respectful approach to each other is the key to a healthy, successful team.
