Handling Feuding Workers  ©Connie Sitterly The information contained in these responses should not be considered legal advice. Consult an attorney if you have any legal questions.

Dear Workplace Doctor, 

I am a general manager with two feuding vice presidents, one over quality and the other over production. Their continuous squabbling is affecting quality and production as well as morale and teamwork. We've lost two supervisors in the last six weeks because they felt the situation is hopeless. When and how should I intervene?

Terry K.
General Manager

When conflicts affect performance or teamwork, intervene. Not taking action equates rewarding bad behavior and lowers standards for employees. Like siblings in a sandbox fighting over who has the pail and who has the shovel, there doesn't have to be a good reason. Adapt any of the following guidelines that best fits your circumstances, style and employees:

1. Ask each to share or write their perception of the situation -who, what, when, where, why and how, and give it to you before you meet with them to compare perceptions of both parties involved. 
2. Let them vent separately without judgment until you compare perceptions with more facts. 

3. For damage control, separate them to cool and regain their perspective. 

4. Involve them in the solution. Ask what it would take to resolve it and what they are willing to contribute, then hold them accountable.

5. Share lessons learned with others affected by or involved with the situation.

6. Contract an outside third-party consultant to facilitate issues and teach concepts to resolve future conflicts. You may wish to train all managers and supervisors in resolving conflict, problem solving, teamwork to gain interpersonal skills.

7. Identify common denominators or common goals and points of agreements. 

8. Set individual and mutual accountabilities and expectations.

9. Appraise and reward not only what is accomplished (performance) but also how (conduct). If you would not tolerate such bad behavior from employees, don't tolerate it from your managers? You get what you give, expect, tolerate, and reward.

10. Reinforce cooperation as well as results. Like most relationships, no pain/no gain. Conflict can actually strengthen outcomes, based on how they're resolved.

The Workplace Dr. ^TM