Courageous Disruption for Conflict Resolution
Written by Janet Vantriet, Certified Organisational Ombudsman, Conflict & Culture Strategist and Founder
Janet Vantriet is a Certified Organisational Ombudsman and conflict resolution specialist. She supports leaders, human resources teams, and boards in navigating workplace conflict, culture, and conduct risk with independence, confidentiality, and clarity.
Have you ever been part of a team where colleagues just can’t get along? Or where there’s simmering resentment towards a team leader? Conflict in the workplace is nothing new. It’s been there since the moment we came up with the crazy idea to throw a bunch of humans together in an office. But the way we respond to conflict needs to change. Come with me as I reveal a new, healthier approach to conflict management.
Conflict in the workplace is inevitable
Whenever you assemble a group of human beings, there’s a decent chance of conflict. Classrooms. Sports crowds. Legislative assemblies. So, of course, a workplace is no different.
Employees usually have little to no say over who shares the work environment with them. They’re typically plopped a metre or so apart for a minimum of eight hours a day, 40 hours a week. A conflict-free zone is a big ask. Most of us couldn’t even handle that kind of proximity with our family members!
Why long-term workplace tension is unhealthy
While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with conflict, if it’s left unattended to bubble and boil over, you’ll probably be left with a big mess. Unresolved conflict inevitably grows into a much larger issue. It goes beyond the individual and can infect the entire team. It can then become a work culture issue rather than an interpersonal disagreement.
Conflict and tension are draining for everyone. Even the most capable of teams can be left feeling depleted when there’s hostility in their daily work environment. Diminished job satisfaction can then lead to employees quitting or, even worse, quiet quitting.
Research shows that interpersonal conflicts in the workplace can also harm workers’ health, performance, rights and dignity. They can damage communication pathways and erode trust. When colleagues can no longer work productively together, this minor personality conflict then evolves into a much larger, performance-related issue for human resources (HR).
As Donna Hicks, a conflict resolution scholar best known for her work on dignity in relationships and leadership, says, ‘The root of human conflict, from individual to international, lies in dignity violations.’ In other words, conflict isn't usually created by one difficult conversation. It's created when people's dignity is repeatedly overlooked, ignored or diminished.
Early signs of conflict
As you’ve probably known since you were a teenager, a lot can go unnoticed by figures of authority. But things are different now. If you want to be a respected team leader, you need to be one who notices when hostilities are brewing between colleagues or when resentment is rising towards management.
What might this look like? The challenge is that conflict rarely arrives in a dramatic explosion. More often, it starts subtly. You might notice discomfort or friction in meetings and conversations that suddenly feel awkward or unusually cautious. Communication can become tense, clipped, or overly formal. People who would normally contribute openly may begin withdrawing, staying quiet or disengaging from discussions altogether.
Sometimes the signs are also nonverbal. You might notice a shift in body language, crossed arms, or someone avoiding eye contact. You might see team members tuning out or becoming visibly defensive when challenged.
Over time, unresolved tension often starts affecting the broader workplace. Productivity can drop. Collaboration becomes harder. Small misunderstandings escalate more quickly. Some employees may begin taking more sick days or withdrawing socially from the team.
These behaviours are often dismissed as personality clashes, stress, or people simply having a bad week. But in many cases, they’re early indicators that something deeper is happening underneath the surface.
Embracing courageous disruption
People often think of workplace conflict as simply disagreements between colleagues, but that’s much too basic. Some of the most damaging organisational conflicts begin at the very top, when boards and senior leaders fail to challenge behaviours that should never have been tolerated, or permitted, in the first place.
While the social or intellectual value of the Australian Kyle & Jackie O Show may be open to debate, its recent public breakdown offers a timely example of what can happen when workplace tension is left unchecked. Reports describe a relationship that had become increasingly strained, with repeated personal attacks, public berating and deteriorating trust between the hosts. While much of the conflict played out on air, the warning signs reportedly existed long before they became headlines. By the time the dispute escalated into legal proceedings and widespread media attention, the damage had already been done, not only to the working relationship but also to the reputation of the program, the individuals in it and the organisation behind it.
The governance challenges faced by Qantas in recent years, fuelled by public criticism over customer service failures, industrial relations disputes and a series of controversial business decisions, also show what can happen when boards fail to hold powerful leaders accountable until significant damage has already occurred.
The lesson extends well beyond radio or even air travel. When leaders fail to acknowledge concerns, address repeated poor behaviour or hold people accountable because of their influence, commercial value or profile, silence becomes a leadership decision. Accountability is weakened, unhealthy behaviours become normalised and small issues can grow into crises that affect the entire organisation.
Let’s face it, most people, leaders included, are conflict-averse. They simply hope that the issues will resolve themselves and they can avoid getting involved. But when leaders miss early warning signs, small tensions can quietly evolve into larger cultural, communication and performance problems across the organisation.
On the other hand, when workplace conflict is addressed head-on and early, it nips the issue in the bud and helps the individual and team recover faster. It builds trust in the leader and strengthens workplace culture. This is courageous disruption.
What is courageous disruption?
Donna Hicks also famously said, ‘I don’t believe we need to find common ground. I believe we need to find higher ground.’ The higher ground here is courageous disruption.
Courageous disruption is the willingness to interrupt unhealthy patterns before they become embedded in the culture of your organisation. It’s being willing to acknowledge tension instead of ignoring it, and to lean into uncomfortable conversations with curiosity rather than defensiveness or control.
While courageous disruption creates the opportunity for healthier conversations, leaders also need the skills to navigate those conversations well. That’s where effective conflict management becomes essential. It helps to create respectful, psychologically safe, high-performing workplaces, so you can manage conflict with empathy, fairness, and connection.
How to effectively manage conflict in the workplace
I don’t see conflict as a weakness. I see it as a way forward. I would love to see more leaders moving away from the old guard’s reactivity towards a more resilient, open-minded approach.
When handled well, conflict can be used to gain clarity before the problem becomes a systemic issue. Start simply by:
Noticing the signs: When you notice those early signs of conflict in a workplace, that’s your cue to act. By failing to respond early, you’ll miss an important opportunity.
Calling it out: The best thing you can do in that moment is call out the uncomfortable truth. Instead of leaving your team to work it out on their own, step in to see how you can help the situation.
Reflecting: Dig deeper to understand the root cause of the issue. Is the issue between colleagues or towards management? A large percentage of conflict is either about communication or the work itself.
Providing support: Now decide what your employees need in this situation. Maybe they need more clarity around their roles, increased support, such as time or resources to complete their work, or assistance in managing personality conflicts. Encourage them to reflect on the potential consequences of the situation progressing further.
Additional conflict management services
After many years of seeing the destruction that ineffective conflict resolution can inflict on workers and organisations, I launched EquipMe Coaching and Consulting. Groups like mine can help leaders and companies navigate workplace tension via a range of different pathways:
External ombuds services
Mediation and facilitation
One-on-one conflict coaching
Early intervention consulting
Organisational conflict audits
Training and workshops
Final word
Leaders, you are not in your position solely for the technical work. You’re also there to nurture your people. I know it can be tough. You’re overworked, tirelessly putting out fires and trying to meet budgets.
But when you treat your team well and courageously disrupt conflict as it arises, the rest often resolves itself.
Need more support to manage conflict in your workplace? Partner with Janet at EquipMe Coaching and Consulting.
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Read more from Janet Vantriet
Janet Vantriet, Certified Organisational Ombudsman, Conflict & Culture Strategist and Founder
Janet Vantriet is one of Australia’s few Certified Organisational Ombuds, supporting human resources (HR) leaders, chief executive officers (CEOs) and boards with workplace conflict, culture and conduct risk. With more than two decades in people and culture roles, she founded EquipMe Coaching & Consulting to address issues traditional HR cannot resolve early enough. She is an accredited mediator, certified coach and senior HR professional whose work is grounded in neutrality, independence, confidentiality and informality. Janet brings an advocacy‑led and multicultural perspective to helping leaders navigate difficult conversations with clarity and fairness.
