Workshop Title

"Resolving Conflicts in Remote Teams"

Problem

Tensions linger without resolution.

Objective

Help address and resolve conflicts effectively by providing structured approaches to clear communication, mediation, and long-term resolution.

Benefits

• Fewer unresolved conflicts and lingering tensions
• Stronger communication and collaboration across the team
• Clearer, step-by-step processes for addressing disagreements
• Improved team culture built on openness and trust
• Greater long-term stability in team relationships

Materials Needed

• 60 mins
• Virtual meeting platform (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
• Collaborative document (Google Docs, Miro, MURAL, etc.)
• Polling or chat function for quick engagement
• Breakout room feature for small-group discussions

Process

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Facilitator welcomes participants and introduces the topic:
  “Today, we’ll explore why conflicts linger in virtual teams, how unresolved tensions impact collaboration, and how to move toward resolution.”
• Poll question: “How often do conflicts in your team remain unresolved or resurface later? (1 = Rarely, 5 = Very often)” (Share anonymous results.)
• Discuss common reasons conflicts remain unresolved in virtual teams, such as:
  • Avoidance—people would rather ignore the problem than address it
  • Lack of clear resolution processes
  • Miscommunication due to remote work limitations

2. The Conflict Resolution Challenge (15 minutes)

Exercise: Why Conflicts Linger

• Breakout rooms (3-4 people per group).
• Each group discusses:
  • Think of a past team conflict—what made it difficult to resolve?
  • What happened when the conflict was ignored or left unresolved?
  • What could have helped reach a resolution sooner?
• Groups return and share key insights on why conflicts remain unresolved and their impact on team culture.

3. Key Strategies for Resolving Conflict (15 minutes)

• Facilitator introduces three key strategies for resolving conflicts effectively:
  1. Acknowledge and address tensions early – Don’t let frustrations build up over time.
  2. Use structured resolution techniques – Follow a clear, step-by-step approach to resolving disagreements.
  3. Establish follow-ups to prevent future conflicts – Ensure conflicts are fully resolved, not just temporarily avoided.
• Chat question: “What’s one challenge your team faces when resolving conflicts?”
• Participants share ideas, and facilitator highlights key themes like timing, communication barriers, and power dynamics.

4. Practical Application: Turning Conflict into Resolution (15 minutes)

Exercise: From Conflict to Resolution

• Participants write down a conflict they’ve seen or experienced in a team setting (anonymised if needed).
• They swap examples (or facilitator selects a few).
• Each person redesigns how the conflict could have been resolved better using one of the key strategies.
• Example transformations:
  • ❌ Two team members had ongoing friction but never addressed it directly.
  • ✅ A structured conversation was facilitated to clear the air and set expectations moving forward.
• Share responses and discuss how structured resolution helps prevent lingering tensions.

5. Action Plan and Close (5 minutes)

• Each participant commits to one action they’ll take to improve conflict resolution in their team.
• Facilitator summarises key takeaways.
• Final poll: “How confident do you feel about resolving conflicts more effectively in your virtual team?”