Helping Staff to Navigate Their Conflicts

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

From AONL research on the nurse manager role, we know that managing staff conflicts is one of the top five activities and least favorite ways leaders spend their time. Consider this situation a nurse manager recently raised during a seminar:

My staff don’t want to navigate their conflicts. They expect me to solve them and sometimes refuse my efforts to bring the two parties together. I always tell them they don’t have to be friends but must learn how to work together. Why has this become so hard, and why won’t staff talk more directly to each other?

This leader posed an interesting challenge and one that I now hear more frequently during leader development sessions. Nursing staff today often don’t know each other well or feel psychologically safe in navigating conflict. Leaders want to empower staff to solve their problems and create their solutions. So when should you get involved in a conflict between the two staff members?

There are no easy answers to the question. Leaders usually have three choices in these situations. The first one is to do nothing. If the leader assesses that the conflict may subside on its own or that one of the parties will no longer be a team member, this may be the best option. The second option is to coach the staff to discuss their differing viewpoints with other staff members. The third choice is to mediate the conflict between the two staff members. This is a less desirable choice in most situations because staff don’t learn the art of social navigation, which is crucial for professional growth.

Sometimes, the leader might need to get involved to mediate the initial conversation about the conflict. If the conflict has escalated to a point where respect has been lost, the two individuals may refuse to converse without a third party being present. A second scenario might be if the staff member came to the leader and planned to resign unless the leader became involved. The final scenario would be if the conflict between the two individuals has impacted team morale and the ability of the team to deliver safe care.

Leaders must carefully consider what is happening before taking action in conflict situations. Your involvement may be needed, but to foster staff growth, consider coaching the first option.

© emergingrnleader.com 2023

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From Traditional Nurse Leader to Nurse Leader Coach – Click Here for the Flyer

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Recommended Book by the Association of Critical Care Nurses – The Nuts and Bolts of Nursing Leadership: Your Toolkit for Success