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Handling Peer Conflict When Your Directs Are Involved (Part 1 of 2)

February 5th, 2007

What do you do when you’re in conflict with a peer… and your directs become involved? What’s interesting here is that we all ought to know that if we ARE in conflict with a peer, our directs ARE involved. Our directs know who among our peers are our allies, and who we don’t align well with. Our directs make choices, perhaps subtle, but choices nonetheless, that can add to our tensions (yes, even if we tell them not to).

What can we do as managers to help our directs deal with a peer of OURS that WE are in conflict with? When the peer begins to not behave professionally, and doesn’t meet her responsibilities to projects or teams he’s on… what do you do? When the peer expresses disdain, or is less than professional in how he treats one of your team?

Listen up; we’ve got a plan.


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This entry was posted on Monday, February 5th, 2007 at 12:01 am and is filed under podcasts, feedback, team.

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4 Responses to “Handling Peer Conflict When Your Directs Are Involved (Part 1 of 2)”

  1. Pedrick Says:
    February 7th, 2007 at 10:17 am

    Here is a situation I’d like to throw out there since I’ve been in it a couple of times. How does one manage himself if your Manager assigns you to fill in for a peer, whom you have conflict with, for a short (2 weeks or so) while. Your peer takes this as an insult so the training you receive from them is minimal at best? There is a possibility they won’t train you at all and your manager doesn’t care.

  2. Todd G Says:
    February 7th, 2007 at 11:39 pm

    I think in response to the question: The first thing is to try your hardest not to let this conflict get in the way of your managing your directs.

    This is an issue between you and your peer. Unfortunately, when a direct is friends with your peer, then that can become a problem. Distance yourself and yet, maintain your professional responsiblity to your direct and require the same in return.

    Secondly: Limit the amount of information or tension that is given off or given out to preserve your own professional liability. 1. Don’t bring the tension to your directs. 2. Meet with your peer away from both your’s and their work areas.

  3. Ed Lee Says:
    February 15th, 2007 at 11:49 am

    Sorry to be an idiot, but what’s a ‘high d” or a “high s”? are they organizational levels or personality traits?

    Cheers!
    Ed

  4. rwwh Says:
    February 15th, 2007 at 4:09 pm

    Ed, they are people characterizations. Take a look at http://www.manager-tools.com/disc-model-summary/

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