Challenge
An ongoing conflict between a manager and her team member could not be resolved internally and the tension between them was impacting both their team and the business. Levare was asked to run confidential conflict coaching sessions with each party to help defuse the situation.
Solution
The solution began with 2 separate conflict coaching sessions—one with the team member, and one with her manager. We created a non-judgemental space to allow each individual time to reflect on the conflict more deeply and consider what they needed from the other person to resolve it. During these one on one sessions each party explored the range of options available to them and the associated pros and cons of each option. Both decided that they wanted to try to resolve the conflict through discussion, which meant that the next step was to mediate a dialogue between the two.
Results
Both the team member and her manager were able to respectfully express themselves during the informal mediation process, which led to an improved understanding of each other’s viewpoints and an enhanced working relationship. At the 3-month check-in, both were pleased with how the conflict had been resolved, and the relationship had visibly evolved to others in the team. The team member shared with us that she gained confidence through the process, and ultimately attributed her improved communication skills to gaining an internal promotion.
