What Conflict Teaches Us:
Lessons from the Quarter

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Today’s Broadcast: What Conflict Teaches Us. Lessons from the Quarter

Designed For Mr. Fathi’s Lesson Unit 9B: “Managing Teams & Conflict Resolution”

In recent weeks, I’ve been helping several executive teams articulate internal challenges more clearly. Many of these challenges stem from what we call operational misalignment—when departments are technically working toward the same goal, but processes and timelines aren’t coordinated.

Often, the problem doesn’t become visible until it crosses the escalation threshold—the point at which leadership can no longer afford to stay hands-off. By then, stakeholder tension has usually taken root, especially between teams or partners with competing interests.

Clear communication could prevent most of this, but when there’s a breakdown in communication—missed updates, unclear instructions—small problems grow quickly. This leads to performance bottlenecks, where one slow or inconsistent part of the system blocks everything else.

At that point, it’s essential to conduct a conflict audit—a structured review of what’s been happening, why it’s been happening, and how long it’s been affecting performance. A well-timed strategic intervention, such as restructuring a workflow or reassigning decision rights, can often resolve the issue before it escalates further.

Externally, a simple delay can lead to a vendor dispute—when a supplier fails to meet expectations and accountability is unclear. Internally, we see cross-functional friction when two departments, like sales and logistics, overlap without clarity. Left unresolved, this leads to partnership strain, where long-term collaboration starts to break down.

Precision in language doesn’t just improve communication—it helps leaders see the problem before it costs them real money.