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How do you handle a group whose members are constantly fighting among themselves?

It probably has something to do with the differences between team members.  People have a tendency to discount the value that results from a diverse team.  This lack of appreciation, leads to frustration, irritation, and conflict.

Here are three ideas that might help your team learn to value their differences instead of fighting about them.

• Identify the styles of your team members. Sometimes it can be hugely illuminating for people to see what the different styles are and what mix of styles exists on the team.  There are many assessment tools on the market to help in this process.
• Discuss key strengths of each style. Once people understand how they differ from each other, it is important that they learn to recognize the strengths associated with those differences.  This understanding will help lead to appreciation.
• Organize the work so that it leverages strengths. Ultimately, the team might want to consider reorganizing its work to take advantage of the diversity that exists within the group.  Playing to skills and work preferences will help people feel better about the work and raise the overall performance level of the team.

Photo by Per Ola Wiberg (Powi)