Foundation 14 of 20 · Lead
Fight the Problem, Not the Person.
"How do you work with someone who's always wrong?" Two partners shouting at each other in front of customers. Two crews eating lunch at opposite ends of the shop. A client telling other businesses to stay away. Here is how to resolve conflict between employees before it spreads.
Last Updated: 10/25/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
The Short Answer
What Is Conflict Resolution at Work?
Textbook Definition
Conflict resolution is the process of addressing a disagreement between parties by identifying the underlying issues and interests, and reaching an outcome that resolves the problem while preserving the working relationship.
In Plain English
Conflict resolution means working through a disagreement so the problem gets solved and the people can still work together afterward. It starts with facts, not blame, and it usually ends with fixing a broken process, not a broken person.
Why It Matters
Why Do Small Disagreements Turn Into Wars?
A fight like this feels like it is about who was right. It almost never is. Two people who have worked together for years turn one mistake into blame, then the teams pick sides, then communication stops. Meanwhile, nobody fixes the original problem, because everyone is busy fixing each other.
Two ideas break the cycle. A position is what someone demands. An interest is why they want it. Two people with opposite positions often share the same interest, which is the core of interests and positions. And many workplace fights trace back to one missing thing: ownership, one person's name beside every task.
That is why the first question in any conflict should not be "who did it?" but "what happened, and what was supposed to happen?" When the answer is "nobody was assigned," you have found a process problem, not a people problem. Fixing the process ends the fight for good. Picking a winner just schedules the next one.
Signs you have this problem:
- Two people argue in front of customers or the team.
- Sentences start with "you always" or "you never."
- Crews have picked sides and stopped talking.
- The same blame argument repeats after every mistake.
- Job tickets assign work to a team, not to a person.
- A customer has noticed the friction.
What It Looks Like
What It Looks Like When Nobody Owns the Job
From the Fabled Forest · Chapter 14
The Crandall Twins split their lock company into two crews years ago. After a job for their biggest client, a jeweler, she came in the next morning and found her new vault standing open. Nothing was missing, but it had been open all night.
Each twin blamed the other's crew, loudly, in front of the client. The crews picked sides and stopped speaking. The jeweler told three other shop owners to think twice about hiring them. A week later, the same thing almost happened again, in front of a crowd at a community event.
Doctor Owl took both twins behind a tent, away from everyone, and set three rules. Then the youngest employee in the company walked up holding a job ticket. She had spotted something both brothers had missed for twelve years.
The twins' story is Chapter 14 of Management and Leadership for Small Businesses, Book 1 of Dr. Paul's Fabled Forest Business School Series.
The Fix
How to Resolve Conflict Between Employees in 4 Steps
Private, factual, and focused on the shared goal. Then fix whatever caused it.
Talk in private.
Never in front of customers or the rest of the team. An audience makes people defend their position instead of solving the problem.
Facts only first.
What happened, not who caused it. No "you always" and no "you never." Get both people to agree on the plain facts before anything else.
Each person says how it affected them, then find the shared interest.
Ask what each one wants, then ask why. "I want him to admit it was his crew" is a position. "So it does not happen again" is the interest, and it is often the same for both.
Agree on who does what, and fix the cause.
Sometimes it is a task with no clear owner. Sometimes it is clashing priorities, not enough time or money to go around, or how someone behaved. Fix that, so the same fight does not come back next month.
Dr. Paul's Insight
The trap to watch for is treating every conflict as a personality problem without checking the process first. Not every conflict has a shared interest, and some behavior does need to be addressed directly. But it is always worth looking for the shared goal, and for the missing name on the task, before deciding two people just cannot work together.
Sample: Positions vs. Interests
Fill this in during the private conversation. The bottom row is usually where the fight ends.
| The facts | Installed Tuesday. Both crews present. Final lock-up at 6:00. Nobody was named to do it. |
| Person A's position | "I want him to admit his crew left it open." |
| Person A's interest | So it never happens again, and the client trusts us. |
| Person B's position | "I want him to admit it was his crew." |
| Person B's interest | So it never happens again, and the client trusts us. |
| Shared interest | The client safe, and the client trusting the business. |
| The fix | Every job ticket gets one owner's name for the final lock-up. |
Sample for illustration. Write the facts first, positions second, interests third.
Watch
Video: Settle a Workplace Conflict in Four Steps
How to Resolve Conflict Between Employees
Dr. Paul walks through the three rules and the positions vs. interests sheet on screen.
From the Book
What Do You Each Want?
Chapter 14 · Conflict Resolution
Everyone and Nobody: Two Crabs' Blame
"Now," said Doctor Owl. "What do you each want?"
"I want him to say it was his crew," said Sheldon.
"That is a position," said Doctor Owl. "It is the thing you are demanding. Under every position there is an interest: the reason you want it. Why do you want him to say it was his crew?"
Sheldon thought about it. "So it doesn't happen again."
What did Percy want, and what had the newest crab found on the job ticket? See how it ends in Chapter 14. Book 1 of Dr. Paul's Fabled Forest Business School Series.
Get the Book on Amazon →FAQ
Conflict Resolution Questions
What is the difference between interests and positions?
How do you resolve conflict between two employees?
Should a manager take sides in a conflict?
What does ownership mean on a team?
Keep Going
Related Foundations
Most conflicts trace back to unclear roles, unclear words, or unspoken feedback. These four foundations fix the roots. New to a term on this page? Every one is in the small business management glossary.
Foundation 8 · Leadership Styles
Different leadership styles on one team can start conflict on their own.
Foundation 13 · Communication
A clear communication loop prevents many conflicts before they start.
Foundation 16 · Organizational Structure
One boss and one clear job per person removes a lot of friction.
Foundation 19 · Performance Feedback
Regular feedback keeps small issues from becoming big fights.
Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA, business consultant, author, and educator with 14+ years and 1,000+ clients served. Is a conflict between two key people starting to cost you customers? Dr. Paul works with owners one-on-one.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal, financial, tax, accounting, or other professional advice. Dollar figures are illustrations. The Fabled Forest and its characters are fictional. For decisions about your own business, consult a qualified professional.