2. What is conflict?
● Difference of opinion on
○ What needs to happen
○ How it needs to happen
○ When it needs to happen
○ Who does it
● Illustrations
○ "What are the quality checks for a given change?"
○ "Should we have atomicity across entities in APL?"
○ "Should a field be part of creditor report?"
○ "Tabs or spaces?"
3. Should we avoid conflict?
● No. Healthy conflicts are good for organization.
● Not having conflict means either
○ What we are doing is not important enough
○ We are not passionate about what we are doing
○ We are not speaking up
4. Should we ignore conflict?
● No, because
○ We are not moving in a single direction
○ Neither party is happy and leads to an unhealthy
workplace
○ Important Decisions don’t get made
5. Steps on Conflict Resolution
● Acknowledge
○ Recognize there is conflict
● Communicate
○ Let all stakeholders know about the conflict
○ Articulate the steps you are taking to resolve it
● Resolve
○ Logic
○ Evidence
○ Wisdom
7. Ground rules
● Not about who is right but what is
● Time bounded decision making
● Disagree but commit
● Don’t be emotional
○ Objective cost vs benefit analysis
○ Right doesn’t always win
○ Understand no decision is irreversible or unchangeable
8. Discuss (Logic)
● Agree on the points of conflict
○ What is at stake?
○ Identify points of agreements and disagreements
○ Prioritize the areas of conflicts
● Argue your case with supporting evidence
○ Avoid Logical Fallacies
○ Avoid Confirmation Bias
● Listen to the other view point
○ Don’t interrupt
○ Articulate the other person’s viewpoint
● Agree on next steps
○ Time bounded
○ Action oriented
9. Collect Data (Evidence)
● What data will help change your mind ?
● Agree on Methodology of collection and curation of the data
● Focus on behavior and events not personalities
● Data collection has a cost
○ Come to it only if available data is insufficient
○ Acknowledge there is insufficient data most of the time
○ Cost vs benefit analysis
10. Escalate (Wisdom)
● Costliest method, use sparingly
● Neutral third party to make the decision
○ Mutually agreed
● Escalate to decide, not to complain
● Appeal to wisdom, not to authority
● Rinse and repeat the first two steps
● If the third party can’t decide or you lose trust in their ability to decide, escalate
further
○ Keep escalating till there is a decision
11. Once Resolved...
● Bring visibility on the decision
● Agreement on if and when the decision will
be reviewed
● Commit to the decision
