Conflict Resolution Template¶

Conflict is normal on high-performing teams. People with different perspectives, working under pressure, will disagree. The goal isn't to eliminate conflict—it's to resolve it quickly, fairly, and without lasting damage to relationships or team trust.

This template provides a structure for when conflicts escalate beyond normal disagreement and need deliberate intervention.

What problem this solves¶

Unresolved conflict erodes teams:

• People avoid working together, creating silos.
• Meetings become tense; participation drops.
• Decisions get delayed because no one wants to engage.
• Good people leave because the environment feels toxic.

Most managers either ignore conflict (hoping it resolves itself) or jump in too quickly (before people have a chance to work it out). This template helps you intervene at the right time, with a fair process.

When to use this¶

Use structured conflict resolution when:

• A disagreement has persisted across multiple interactions without resolution.
• The conflict is affecting work output or team dynamics.
• One or both parties have escalated to you (or you've observed the issue directly).
• Normal feedback or 1:1 conversations haven't resolved it.

Do not use this for:

• Healthy debate about technical or product decisions. (That's normal.)
• Performance issues disguised as conflict. (Use performance management.)
• Violations of policy or harassment. (Involve HR immediately.)

Roles and ownership¶

As the manager, your job is to create conditions for resolution—not to decide who's right.

How to resolve a conflict¶

Step 1: Acknowledge and assess¶

When you become aware of a conflict, take it seriously. Don't dismiss it or assume it will resolve on its own.

Ask yourself:

• How long has this been going on?
• Is it affecting work or other team members?
• Have the parties tried to resolve it themselves?
• Is this a pattern or a one-time disagreement?

If it's early and contained, encourage the parties to talk directly. If it's escalated, move to structured intervention.

Step 2: Talk to each party individually¶

Meet with each person separately before bringing them together. Your goals:

• Understand their perspective without judgment.
• Identify the underlying issues (often different from surface complaints).
• Assess their willingness to resolve.

Questions to ask:

• "Help me understand what's happening from your perspective."
• "When did this start? What triggered it?"
• "What would resolution look like for you?"
• "What have you already tried?"

Listen more than you talk. Take notes.

Step 3: Identify the real issues¶

Surface complaints ("They don't respond to my messages") often mask deeper issues (feeling disrespected, unclear ownership, competing priorities).

Look for patterns:

Understanding the real issues is essential—you can't resolve what you haven't named.

Step 4: Facilitate a joint conversation¶

Bring both parties together for a structured conversation. Set clear ground rules:

• Each person speaks without interruption.
• Focus on behaviors and impact, not character judgments.
• The goal is understanding and resolution, not winning.

Conversation structure:

1. Opening: Restate the purpose: "We're here to understand each other and find a path forward."
2. Perspectives: Each person shares their view. The other listens without rebutting.
3. Clarification: Ask clarifying questions. Surface any misunderstandings.
4. Common ground: Identify shared goals or values.
5. Agreements: Define specific commitments each person will make.
6. Follow-up: Schedule a check-in to assess progress.

Your role is facilitator, not judge. Resist the urge to declare a winner.

Step 5: Document agreements¶

Write down what was agreed. Be specific:

• What each person commits to doing differently.
• How they'll communicate if issues arise.
• When you'll check in on progress.

Share the document with both parties.

Step 6: Follow up¶

Don't assume one conversation fixes everything. Check in:

• Within a week: "How are things going?"
• At one month: Assess whether the pattern has changed.

If the conflict resurfaces or agreements aren't honored, escalate appropriately.

Signals that resolution is working¶

• The parties can work together without tension.
• Other team members notice improvement.
• Issues that arise are addressed directly, not escalated.
• Both parties feel heard, even if they didn't get everything they wanted.

Failure modes and mitigations¶

The template¶

Conflict resolution prep (for mediator)¶

# Conflict Resolution Prep

**Date:** [Date]
**Parties:** [Name A] and [Name B]
**Mediator:** [Your name]

---

## Background

**How did this come to your attention?**
[Escalation, observation, complaint]

**How long has this been going on?**
[Timeline]

**What is the impact on work or team?**
[Describe]

---

## Party A's perspective

**Meeting date:** [Date]

**Their description of the situation:**
[Summary]

**Underlying concerns/needs:**
[What you infer]

**What resolution looks like to them:**
[Their words]

---

## Party B's perspective

**Meeting date:** [Date]

**Their description of the situation:**
[Summary]

**Underlying concerns/needs:**
[What you infer]

**What resolution looks like to them:**
[Their words]

---

## Analysis

**Where do they agree?**
[Common ground]

**Where do they differ?**
[Key points of disagreement]

**Root cause hypothesis:**
[Your assessment of the real issue]

---

## Plan for joint conversation

**Date scheduled:** [Date]
**Location:** [Private room / video call]

**Key points to address:**

1. [Issue 1]
2. [Issue 2]

**Potential agreements to propose:**

- [Agreement 1]
- [Agreement 2]

Conflict resolution agreement¶

# Conflict Resolution Agreement

**Date:** [Date]
**Parties:** [Name A] and [Name B]
**Mediator:** [Name]

---

## Summary

[Brief description of the conflict and the resolution conversation.]

---

## Agreements

### [Name A] commits to:

- [ ] [Specific behavior or action]
- [ ] [Specific behavior or action]

### [Name B] commits to:

- [ ] [Specific behavior or action]
- [ ] [Specific behavior or action]

### Both parties commit to:

- [ ] Addressing concerns directly with each other before escalating.
- [ ] [Other shared commitment]

---

## Communication agreement

If issues arise, we will:
[How they'll handle future disagreements — e.g., "schedule a 15-minute call within 24 hours"]

---

## Follow-up

| Check-in | Date   | Notes |
| -------- | ------ | ----- |
| 1-week   | [Date] |       |
| 1-month  | [Date] |       |

---

## Signatures

**[Name A]:** \***\*\*\*\*\*\*\***\_\***\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** Date: \***\*\_\*\***

**[Name B]:** \***\*\*\*\*\*\*\***\_\***\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** Date: \***\*\_\*\***

**Mediator:** \***\*\*\*\*\*\*\***\_\***\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** Date: \***\*\_\*\***

Questions for the joint conversation¶

Use these to facilitate dialogue:

Opening:

• "Thank you both for being here. The goal today is to understand each other's perspectives and find a way to work together effectively."

Understanding perspectives:

• "[Name], help us understand how you've experienced this situation."
• "When did you first notice something was off?"
• "How has this affected your work?"

Clarifying:

• "[Name], what did you hear [Other Name] say? Is that accurate?"
• "It sounds like you both want [shared goal]. Is that right?"

Moving forward:

• "What would you need to see from [Other Name] to feel this is resolved?"
• "What are you willing to commit to doing differently?"
• "How will you handle it if this comes up again?"

Related pages¶

• Team Ops: Conflict Resolution — Broader conflict management principles.
• People: Feedback Frameworks — Giving feedback that prevents conflict.
• People: One-on-Ones — Surfacing issues early.
• Team Ops: Working Agreements — Preventing conflict through clear norms.