Teams | Cosas que pensar

Teams have a hard time dealing with conflict in constructive ways. I found this HBR article by Amy Gallo, saying that tension and disagreement are inevitable in the workplace. But there’s a difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict.

Here are four ways to encourage productive conflict on your team.

Say it’s ok. Normalize disagreement. Tell your team it’s expected and essential for collaboration. Set clear norms: focus on ideas, not people, and respect different perspectives. When conflict arises, remind them it’s a sign of engagement, not dysfunction.

Name positive tensions. Identify recurring tensions—like speed vs. quality—and call them out when they show up. This reframes conflict as a natural dynamic, not a personal issue, and helps you balance competing priorities.

Depersonalize. Separate people from problems. Ask team members to argue against their own perspective to consider alternate ways of thinking. This exercise builds empathy, fosters open-mindedness, and reduces defensiveness during debates.

Stay calm. Your reaction sets the tone. When conflict arises, model curiosity. A steady presence makes it safe for others to speak up. If tensions rise, gently steer the conversation back to shared goals.

Read the article: “How to Encourage the Right Kind of Conflict on Your Team,” by Amy Gallo

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Ejemplo de Coaching de equipos aplicado al deporte

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El puente (gestión de conflictos)

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The art of leading teammates

In this article at HBR, Tom Brady, one of the most successful American football players, shares some of his keys for leading your teammates, and shares examples and anecdotes to illustrate them.

Some ideas (I recommend you read the whole article):

Leaders don’t accomplish anything by themselves. In fact, nothing of significance in life is achieved alone. To do great things, we rely on teammates. And to win, team leaders must find ways to draw the best physical, mental, and emotional performance from the players working with them.
Leadership comes down to two things: Do you care about your teammates and their role on the team? And do you care about winning, which is what you’re ultimately trying to do together? Leadership requires trust, and trust usually comes from deeply caring about one another and the belief that winning is about the team. You must feel passionate about both.
Put the team first, always, even when facing personal adversity.
Show appreciation for unsung colleagues.
Set the standard and create a culture of 100% effort.
Recognize teammates’ individual psychology and the best ways to motivate them.
Understand and complement the style of the formal leader.
Recognize and counteract the external forces that can cause selfish behavior.
Create opportunities to connect as people outside the office.
The emotions and behaviors that define individuals are formed early.
Leaders work within a system.
It can be hard for individual team leaders to influence change across large organizations.
A leader’s style and influence will take time to evolve.