Dealing with conflicts – A guide to routinely resolving tensions within the team

In this article, we share our first version of a conflict routine: a guide on how to proceed when you find yourself in a conflict.

It is easy to let everyone participate when everything is running smoothly. It gets harder when tensions arise. That is precisely when it becomes clear whether our values hold true in everyday life. If we are committed to a democratic, sustainable and resilient future, we must also create internal spaces where conflicts can be addressed, endured and resolved. Conflicts can be an opportunity for personal growth, better cooperation and structural development.

As an organisation, we want to learn and are committed to continuous improvement. In the spirit of an open culture of error, we share what we are working on and welcome feedback, experiences and ideas. In our team survey in June 2025, 42% said that conflicts in our organisation are resolved fully or mostly satisfactorily, another 42% said partially, and 16% said not really. At the same time, most of our colleagues described the atmosphere as friendly, supportive, and helpful. It is therefore worthwhile for us to invest specifically in our conflict management skills. We believe that this is worthwhile for all organisations.

One systemic measure we have developed for this purpose is our conflict routine. It is designed to help identify tensions at an early stage, act constructively and in a value-based manner, and promote a safe working atmosphere.

Area of application of the conflict routine

A central idea of the routine is that conflicts are not pleasant, but they are normal – hence the name ‘routine’. It does not aim to eliminate all conflicts. It helps to identify tensions at an early stage, clarify responsibilities and strengthen psychological security. The routine is a framework with defined steps and roles that can be used for guidance, which is particularly helpful in emotionally charged or confusing situations. If at least one party to the conflict wishes to invoke the routine, the other party cannot refuse to engage in constructive discussion. In cases of serious behaviour such as discrimination, harassment or embezzlement, other instruments such as our code of conduct or our whistleblowing policy apply.

Step 1: Recognise the conflict and put it into words

The first step is to recognise the conflict – whether it is an uneasy feeling, recurring tensions or specific incidents. A trusted person can help with this: we have designated individuals from the team and the board who are available to provide support in cases of conflict. A trusted person listens, helps to classify the conflict and assists in formulating observations.

It can help to determine: What type of conflict am I in?

· Structural conflicts concern values, content, processes, roles or decision-making processes, e.g. differences of opinion about project strategies or unclear distribution of tasks.

· Individual conflicts are based on interpersonal tensions, e.g. communication style, power relations or expectations.

Classification helps to create clarity, even if the boundaries are fluid and a conflict often has several components.

Step 2: Address the conflict

The person directly affected approaches the other party, with the support of the trusted person if necessary. The aim is a respectful exchange in which all parties involved can save face and find a solution.

This can be a discussion or the introduction of new processes for cooperation and communication. Feedback rules help here: stay on topic, describe the effect, formulate a specific request. If a solution is found, the process is complete.

Step 3: Involve management

If the conflict cannot be resolved, management is called in. They are responsible for the process, can involve external moderators or internal committees, suggest formats and initiate transparent communication.

A sensitive issue is the balance between confidentiality and transparency. As a general rule, confidentiality takes precedence over transparency. However, openness can sometimes be a relief, especially if the team is already aware of the conflict. One option is to inform the team that a conflict is being addressed without going into detail.

People in leadership positions have a special responsibility: they should identify conflicts early on, moderate them neutrally and promote a culture in which criticism can be expressed without fear. If they are themselves part of the conflict, external or internal mediation is needed to balance power asymmetries.

Step 4: Seek external support

In complex, highly emotionally charged or systemic conflicts, or at the request of one of the parties, an external mediator or coach should be called in.

This is not a sign of failure, but rather a professional way of dealing with a challenging situation.

External support can also be sought at an earlier stage, for example when those involved reach their limits or neutrality cannot be guaranteed. In our organisation we provide financial resources for external support, as part of our conflict infrastructure.

Step 5: Resolve or escalate the conflict

A conflict is considered resolved when all parties agree that it has been resolved. If this is not possible, the conflict is escalated to the next level of management. Conflicts that escalate across multiple levels require a great deal of attention from management and must be taken very seriously. They have become so large that they have a significant negative impact on the daily work of many people. In such cases, external support can advise the responsible managers. Some conflicts cannot be resolved amicably. The routine then helps to identify such conflicts and to handle them responsibly.

Step 6: Derive learnings

All those involved are responsible for their actions in a conflict. People in leadership positions also bear responsibility for structural learnings. What can the organisation take away from the conflict? Can we improve anything to prevent it from happening again? It can be worthwhile to document conflict experiences (in a form that is independent of the people involved) in order to learn for the future.

Why all this?

A conflict routine…

… normalises conflicts as something that is part of everyday working life.

… provides guidance, clarifies responsibilities and strengthens psychological security.

… supports a team in not looking away and addressing conflicts early on.

…sees every conflict as an opportunity for further development, both as a person and as an organisation.