The Waterline Model suggests 80% of team dysfunctions are rooted in structural problems (unclear goals, roles), not interpersonal issues. Before you 'scuba dive' into individual conflicts, 'snorkel' at the surface by clarifying roles and expectations. This simple act solves the majority of problems.
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Most leaders are conflict-avoidant. Instead of running from tension, view it as a data point signaling an unaddressed issue or misalignment. This reframes conflict from a threat into an opportunity for discovery and improvement, prompting curiosity rather than fear.
When diagnosing a failing department, stop looking for tactical issues. The problem is always the leader, full stop. A great leader can turn a mediocre team into a great one, but a mediocre leader will inevitably turn a great team mediocre. Don't waste time; solve the leadership problem first.
The need for a Solution Architect often signals a failure in organizational design. It's a workaround for teams not communicating effectively, a problem better solved by applying principles from frameworks like Team Topologies to foster cross-team collaboration directly.
Leadership coach Denise Blank suggests using non-judgmental metaphors from nature (e.g., 'stuck in an eddy,' 'at a cross current') to describe conflict patterns. This allows teams to address the dynamic itself without blaming individuals, fostering curiosity and collaboration instead of defensiveness.
When a big-picture leader communicates with a detail-oriented team, friction is inevitable. Recognizing this as a clash of communication styles—not a personal failing or lack of competence—is the first step. Adaptation, rather than frustration, becomes the solution.
Leaders often assume goal alignment. A simple exercise is to ask each team member to articulate the project's goal in their own words. The resulting variety in answers immediately highlights where alignment is needed before work begins, preventing wasted effort on divergent paths.
As teams grow, ambiguity over ownership increases, causing key tasks to be dropped. The RACI model (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) combats this by clarifying roles upfront for any project, ensuring clear ownership and preventing the diffusion of responsibility that paralyzes larger groups.
Gaining genuine team alignment is more complex than getting a superficial agreement. It involves actively surfacing unspoken assumptions and hidden contexts to ensure that when the team agrees, they are all agreeing to the same, fully understood plan.
Most conflicts between PMs and architects aren't truly technical. They stem from a lack of three crucial, vulnerability-based conversations: 1) What does success look like for you in your role? 2) What is your biggest fear? 3) How can we disagree productively?
Stop defining a manager's job by tasks like meetings or feedback. Instead, define it by the goal: getting better outcomes from a group. Your only tools to achieve this are three levers: getting the right People, defining the right Process, and aligning everyone on a clear Purpose.
