The 7 Best Ways to Effectively Handle Team Tensions As A Manager

Team tensions can be a massive challenge for any manager, and if left unchecked, they can quickly lead to conflict in the workplace. Fortunately, there are some simple steps that you can take to help prevent and handle team tensions at work. This article outlines seven of the best ways to handle team tensions effectively. You can help your team work together more harmoniously and effectively by following these tips. Hopefully, this will help you keep your team on track and minimize the potential for conflict. So, let’s start with understanding what kinds of team tensions managers regularly encounter at their workplaces.

What kinds of team tensions do managers encounter?

Many possible team tensions could arise in a workplace setting. Some common types of team tensions include: 1. Conflict between team members – It can occur when one or more team members feel opposed to or frustrated by each other’s ideas and actions. Team conflict can ultimately hinder teamwork and productivity and hamper communication within the group. 2. Competition between teams – It occurs when one group seeks to outperform another, either in workload or results. This competition can be frustrating and damaging for team members, as it often breeds resentment and discourages collaboration. Further, it can also irritate colleagues from other teams who may feel that their efforts are being exploited. 3. Sense of entitlement – Certain individuals within a team may feel entitled to special treatment or privileges, leading to conflictual exchanges and overall disharmony. It can also create a sense of injustice and frustration for others on the team who feel as though they are being unfairly treated. 4. Power struggles – When one team member or group feels that they are in positions of power, they may attempt to assert their dominance over the others. These struggles can lead to tensions and often results in conflict. It can also jeopardize productivity and efficiency within the workplace by complicating interpersonal relationships and undermining trust. 5. Division – When different groups within a team start to feel suspicious of each other, it can create division and discord. This divide-and-conquer strategy usually doesn’t work well and ultimately harms everyone involved. It prevents team members from coming together as one unit, undermines their trust, and builds resentment between the different groups. 6. Unmet expectations – different team members arrive at work expecting other things from their relationship with the managers. There can be more support or guidance from the management, and they may be disappointed if these expectations aren’t met. This situation can turn out to create some severe workplace tensions.

What all leads to Team Tensions?

Many different shortcomings in the workplace are signs of conflict and can create workplace tensions. Some of the most common ones include:

1. Lack of Communication

Lack of communication is one of the leading causes of team tension. When team members don’t understand each other or feel like they’re not being heard, it can lead to frustration and workplace tension. It can also lead to misunderstandings about team members’ roles and responsibilities, leading to a bigger conflict. By not being able to put forward their points of view, employees can lead them to frustration or even burnout.

2. Ineffective Decision-Making

Ineffective decision-making can ripple throughout an organization, causing frustration and tension in the workplace. When decisions are not made effectively, It can lead to serious team tensions. When team members don’t trust the decisions being made or have disagreements about those decisions, it can lead to pressure and a lack of productivity.

3. Unrealistic Expectations from Team Members

Unrealistic expectations from team members can lead to serious team tensions. When someone on the team doesn’t meet the unrealistic expectations the management has from them, it can lead to frustration, disappointment, and even anger. Unrealistic expectations can also lead to negative interactions with the team member and decreased productivity in the workplace.

4. Clash of Personalities

An effective team requires a blend of personalities, skills, and attitudes. When one individual on the team has significantly different values or personality traits not compatible with other members, it can cause severe workplace tension. These various personality clashes can create a conflict situation. These clashes can have a trickle-down effect on team members in the workplace, causing stress and anxiety.

5. Negative Behavior

Negative behavior may include spreading rumors, making fun of others, gossiping or complaining about a co-worker, rudeness, or taking credit for someone else’s work. Such behavior can hamper team productivity and disharmony among team members. In some cases, it may even lead to legal issues.

6. Lack of a common ground

Lack of common ground between team members is one of the most common reasons for workplace conflict and tension. The lack of a shared perspective or standard ground rules can lead to disputes and miscommunication, leading to disagreements over decisions made by management. These disagreements can cause significant discomfort, uncertainty, and frustration leading to tension at work among the team members and the administration.

Why is it important for Managers to Handle Team Tensions?

Managers need to handle team tensions in their workplace. These tensions come up as widespread problems that managers face worldwide and can turn out to be the root cause of workplace conflicts. Therefore, managers should treat these as the early signs of conflict and should work to handle them effectively. Handling team tensions is an integral part of emotional management skills, which managers need to be effective in people management. It also serves as a subpart of the early stage of workplace conflict management. Handling these tensions or just avoiding them can have some great benefits for the teams, including:

It can prevent the unit from falling apart
It can lead to the resolution of problems
Handling these tensions also creates a sense of cohesion and unity within the team
It can result in a more robust performance from the team
This handling of tensions can be a great morale booster for employees.
It helps them feel appreciated and valued in their workplace
It can lead to greater satisfaction and productivity

Cons of not handling tension in the workplace

As handling team tensions has plenty of pros, not handling these tensions effectively can lead to some cons, too, including:

It can cause resentment among team members
It can lead to a decrease in team performance
Ineffectiveness in handling these tensions creates a lack of cohesion and unity within the team can lead to disharmony
Ineffectively addressing these tensions may not resolve all the problems and may create new ones

7 Best Ways to Handle Team Tensions As A Manager

1. Encourage open, honest, and transparent communication

To create a tension-free, healthy, productive, and positive work environment, managers should encourage open, honest, and transparent communication among their team members. It will help to avoid or resolve any tensions that may arise. When team members feel like they can openly communicate without fear of judgment or retribution, it builds trust and strengthens the team bond. It can be beneficial when tensions do arise, as everyone will be able to address the issue calmly and constructively. This type of communication also encourages transparency within the team, which can help in conflict resolution and prevention.

2. Acknowledge everyone’s feelings

The most important part of effectively handling tension at work is for the manager to acknowledge everyone’s feelings. It includes both the emotions of the person/group who created the stress and the feelings of those affected by it. It’s also essential for the manager to consider these feelings while taking action to resolve the tension. It might help the team find a resolution, or it can help the manager provide guidance and support to help them move past the issue. Managers should practice active listening to the point of view of each employee and provide non-judgmental support for those they work with. The manager should also encourage individuals within the team to think outside of themselves. It might help them identify how others feel in response to a given issue or topic under discussion (this is known as “checking for understanding”). Also, managers need to build trust by disclaiming any authority during such conversations and emphasizing their belief in giving people an opportunity for self-expression.

3. Create a safe space for team members to speak freely

It’s also essential for the manager to create a safe and private space where team members can freely express themselves. It is helpful because it allows them to deal with their different perspectives and points of view, no matter how difficult they may be. It enables team members to process what has happened between them and identify those causing tension at work. Creating this environment allows the managers to start working constructively on a resolution. It helps the team members feel comfortable enough with those involved to communicate their thoughts without being negatively judged or blamed by others in the group.

4. Set and enforce boundaries

In some situations, the manager needs to set boundaries and make explicit behaviors not acceptable or appropriate within a team setting. These include engaging in inappropriate humor, accusing someone of lying when no evidence supports them, purposefully trying to undermine other members’ work performance through gossiping, playing favorites among team members, etc. These behaviors can start to exert a hostile atmosphere and create tension at work among the whole group. These behaviors can erode trust, cause feelings of resentment, ruin relationships within the team, or even worse, lead people away from work altogether. Therefore, to avoid and effectively handle the tensions which may arise, managers need to set and enforce certain boundaries for these behaviors.

5. Align each individual’s objectives with the team’s objectives

If team members think or realize that their work objectives are not aligned with those of the rest of the group, poor morale can quickly arise. Suppose a particular individual is working on something that does not fit well with the team’s project or conflicts directly with it. In that case, this will cause tensions to arise within an open group, such as a collaborative effort, while further reducing efficiency in skills and job performance. Therefore, managers should ensure that all team members have the same idea of what will be accomplished with their work. Team members can decide each time they are confronted by differing responsibilities and expectations within a project or area with the correct information. It will increase efficiency since work will be done effectively and accurately by following how each team member can best fit into the group’s overall goals. All that will be ultimately helpful in handling or even avoiding team tensions.

6. Address problems head-on

The manager’s role is to ensure that the team works together effectively towards common goals, and tension in the workplace will get in the way. Managers should always address team tensions head-on to maintain a cohesive and productive work environment and handle team tensions effectively. Not actively addressing problems can quickly escalate and create division among employees. Therefore, managers should address the concerns first to ensure that productivity doesn’t suffer whenever tensions arise.

7. Model healthy behavior

The best way for managers to deal with tension and conflict in the workplace is to set a good example for their team. Suppose managers can stay calm and constructive during tensions and model healthy behavior. In that case, it will help to diffuse the situation and show the team that they can handle difficult conversations maturely. It’s also essential for managers to be aware of their triggers. For example, suppose someone on the team constantly challenges their authority. In that case, that could cause a manager to react defensively or angrily. In these cases, it’s helpful to discuss how best to handle tensions and conflict with the team. A manager’s example may help others on the team be more comfortable being vulnerable. Managers should give back when they are given to defuse tension in the workplace. They need not do everything that their employees want them to do.

Conclusion

Managing team tensions can be a difficult task, but it’s crucial for any manager. It’s essential to have a well-planned approach to tension at work to maintain productivity and morale. This blog has outlined the seven best ways for managers to handle team tensions. We hope that this will help you better understand the dynamics of tension in the workplace and how to address them constructively the next time you face them.

Effectively navigate conflicts in your team with our free conflict management toolkit

Get the toolkit today to access helpful tips and tricks that make your teams fucntion smoothly

Download Now

What is an example of tension in the workplace?

Workplace tension can look like a hostile team environment that lacks space to work freely or an excessive task load that violates work-life balance.

How do you handle tension in the workplace?

The key to maintaining tension in the workplace lies in identifying and controlling your stressors. You need to identify the sources of stress which disrupt your workflow and peace of mind.

How do you break the tension in the office?

Conversation is the simplest and easiest way to beat tensions at work. Start with some regular discussions in the team, or go for a one-on-one to directly discuss the issue.

How do you relieve tension between coworkers?

A few things that managers can do to relieve tensions include: – Getting involved as fair arbitrators – Understanding expectations – Creating healthy dialogue for harmony

Other Related Blogs

New Managers and Small Teams: A Match Made Not Made In Heaven

New Managers and Small Teams: A Match Made Not Made In Heaven My team currently has nine people, including myself. That sounds pretty simple, right? After all, exactly how much…

Everything You Can Get for $30 Today!

Everything You Can Get for $30 Today! $30 does not sound like a huge amount. But it can surely deliver a lot of value when you need it. Today, you…

Understanding Modern Leadership: Ananya Narang’s Perspective on Team Management

Understanding Modern Leadership: Ananya Narang’s Perspective on Team Management Founders and managers, the unsung heroes of the business world, often find themselves juggling various challenges. From instilling accountability to motivating…

Manager Effectiveness: A Complete Guide for Managers in 2024

Manager Effectiveness: A Complete Guide for Managers in 2024 Manager effectiveness is everyone’s favorite buzzword. But the road to achieving it is trickier than it looks like! While manager effectiveness…

What Is The Importance Of Empathy In Management? 5 Tips To Develop It

Many people wonder what empathy is and wonder about the importance of empathy for teams. So let’s start by understanding what exactly the widely used term “Empathy” means. This blog will explore what empathy is, the importance of empathy in management, and how to develop it. After reading this, you will be able to see the very importance of empathy for managers to understand others’ feelings and needs and better manage difficult conversations. You will also understand how empathy can help managers develop better relationships with their employees. We will be providing various tips by which managers can build empathy, both in themselves and their employees.

Elaboration of the term “Empathy”

Empathy refers to the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings and emotions. Empathy allows us better understand the other person’s situation and help them cope with problems that seem to be beyond their control. It covers eliminating selfishness and embracing selflessness. It means stepping in someone else’s shoes and seeing the world from their perspective. Empathy is also about showing genuine interest in the needs of others. Empathy can help people form an agreement and make decisions based on care, understanding, compassion, and goodwill. In the workplace, empathy refers to someone’s ability to understand and be in tune with the feelings of their colleagues, peers, and subordinates. It is basically when managers and their employees or team members go the extra mile to understand each other’s situation or point of view with compassion and help each other through thick and thin. For managers specifically, empathy refers to them being caring, understanding, and supportive of their employees. And also trying to understand their needs and desires.

How to show empathy as a manager?

Listen actively: One of the most important ways that managers can show empathy is by actively listening to their employees. This means giving them their full attention, asking questions to clarify their concerns, and acknowledging their feelings. When employees feel heard and understood, they are more likely to feel valued and motivated.
Acknowledge and validate emotions: Another way to show empathy is by acknowledging and validating employees’ emotions. This means recognizing how they are feeling and showing that you understand their perspective. For example, if an employee is frustrated about a project, the manager might say, “I can see that you’re feeling frustrated about this. It’s understandable given the challenges we’re facing.”
Provide support and resources: Finally, managers can show empathy by providing support and resources to help employees deal with their challenges. This might include offering guidance, training, or coaching, or providing access to tools or resources that can help employees be more successful. By showing that they care about their employees’ success and well-being, managers can create a positive and supportive work environment that encourages growth and development.

Why is it important for Managers to have Empathy?

Empathy from managers’ perspectives is essential to develop the exemplary leadership skills and emotional competence required to be effective in their managerial roles. Empathy in management can help them attract, develop and involve the most talented employees. It is one of the best practices for success in a management career. On the other hand, a lack of empathy in management can negatively affect the effectiveness of its employees and will reduce the chances of a productive work environment. If managers cannot show compassion for their employees, it will not bring them closer to their employees and will not help create a healthy work atmosphere. Managers who lack empathy might also have difficulty maintaining personal relationships with co-workers, superiors, or subordinates as they don’t internalize appropriate emotions for the situations in which another person is involved. To better understand the importance of empathy for managers lets unfold the various beneficial outcomes that an empathetic leader or manager can bring to an organization which include:

Better Communication

When managers can empathize with their employees, it allows for better and more effective communication. An empathetic manager will emphasize listening to their employees and better understanding their situations. The employees will be more likely to open up and share their thoughts and feelings with the manager. Additionally, this also helps close any gaps in understanding between the two parties. Empathy in management and communication is the cornerstone for any leader trying to build a vision and align their teams to it.

Improved Cooperation

Empathy is a powerful tool that can improve cooperation among team members. When managers can understand their employee’s situations, it promotes collaboration among everyone involved in that particular situation. Employees will be more likely to comply with the manager’s requests for collaboration if they know that they are understood and cared for. Moreover, when team members feel empathy for each other, they are more likely to work collaboratively and be creative in solving problems. This is because empathy in management makes team members feel connected to each other and understand their thoughts and feelings. When team members empathize with each other, they are more likely to be open and share their ideas. This helps the team come up with solutions that are best suited for the situation.

Innovative Solutions

Managers who understand the importance of empathy are more likely to have team members that develop new and innovative solutions. When we feel the emotions of others, we can see the world from their perspective. This opens up our minds to new possibilities and allows us to think more creatively. Research has shown that empathy is one of the critical factors that lead to increased innovation in teams. Overall, empathy leads to a healthier and happy work environment which will, in turn, improve creativity and comfort to take risks.

Increased Teamwork

When managers can empathize with their employees, it increases teamwork within the workplace. Employees who know that their manager cares about them will be more willing to help out in any way possible. Additionally, this also reduces the feelings of jealousy among team members as each individual feels appreciated and understood.

Greater employee participation and retention

When employees feel understood and appreciated by other managers, they are more likely to want to help contribute to the organization’s success, leading to greater employee participation. These employees also get motivated to keep working for and contributing to the organization. Therefore, Organizations with a culture of empathy can better attract and retain top talent. Their turnover and burnout rates come out to be significantly low compared to those who do not have a culture of empathy.

Reduced Conflict and Stress

When managers can empathize with their employees, it reduces conflict within the workplace. Employees who know they are understood and cared for will be less likely to resist or disagree with the manager’s decisions. Additionally, this also reduces the amount of stress that employees feel, leading to better performance.

Greater Employee Engagement and Trust

The importance of empathy is critical in employee engagement. When employees feel that their managers care about and understand them, they are more likely to be engaged in their work. It is also true that when employees feel empathy from their managers, they are more likely to trust their managers and be more productive. Managers who can show empathy are also more likely to impact employee retention positively.

Improved Cultural Competence

Cultural competence is the ability to work effectively with people from different cultures. When it comes to interacting with people from different cultures, a little empathy can go a long way. Managers who feel empathy for their employees, and take the time to understand their cultural backgrounds, can improve their team’s cultural competence. Managers need to have this skill, as they are often in a position of authority and need to be able to lead a culturally diverse team. All these outcomes make the importance of Empathy crystal clear. These outcomes show that by developing empathy at work, managers can reach great heights of managerial effectiveness. Let us now unfold how exactly can managers develop this empathy within themselves as well as within their employees.

5 Tips for Managers to develop an Empathizing Mindset

Listen Carefully

The first and most crucial step in developing empathy as a manager is listening carefully to the people around you. When we listen, we take the time to hear what someone is saying without judgment or preconceived notions. It can be not easy at times, but it’s crucial if we want to understand how someone is feeling and make decisions based on that information. Therefore, careful and active listening is necessary for managers to develop an empathizing mindset. Take it step further to learn more about empathetic listening.

Understand Complex Issues

Another key ingredient in developing empathy as a manager is understanding complex issues. It often happens in organizations where employees get into issues with many complexities. But, it is still the manager’s job to get them out of it. Managers should think about the possible issues and develop solutions that work for everyone involved. For example, suppose employees face issues with excessive workload. In that case, managers should understand the various complexities leading to the situation and should come up with ideas to ease the work. Having this ability will help managers have a deeper understanding of what their employees face in the organization and will ultimately lead to developing empathy.

Learn to be vulnerable in front of your team

To be successful in developing empathy, being vulnerable in front of the employees can be a good way. This means being open in front of them and sharing personal stories that will help them understand you better. It can be challenging to let your guard down and be honest about your feelings, but it’s essential if you want to build trust and create a positive work environment. When you share personal stories, your team will feel comfortable doing the same. That can lead you to have a good understanding of them, and you can ultimately develop empathy.

Accept Others’ Strengths and Weaknesses

As managers, it’s important to remember that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. To effectively develop empathy, managers need to be able to see the good in their employees even when we don’t agree with them or when they witness any of their weaknesses. They should try to understand how to help them overcome their weakness instead of showing disappointment. Similarly, When they notice an employee’s strength, they should put that to good use and not overstrain.

Be comfortable with cultural and geographical differences

Just as importantly, empathy suggests being comfortable with and being able to understand people from different cultures and geographies. While some aspects of culture may be familiar to us, other aspects may be new and challenging. Managers need to see things from their perspectives to understand better the problems they may face and what solutions can be suggested. For example- if you have people who speak different languages than the common one used in your organization, you can facilitate communication in either some mutual language or can take the help of a translator. This particular step is majorly helpful in WFH setups. Here employees from different cultures, states, countries, or even time zones work together virtually in an organization. If managers of these organizations have empathy, they’ll be able to understand the issues that may come up due to the adversities and remote work. They will also be able to facilitate inclusion.

3 tips on How to develop empathy in your employees

Develop a Compassionate culture

A compassionate culture can very firmly develop empathy in your employees. When employees will see everyone around them in the organization understanding and respecting each other’s emotions and situations, they will tend to go with the flow and follow the same. A robust and compassionate culture will ultimately help the employees develop high levels of empathy.

Lead by example

Managers should lead by example to create a workplace culture that values empathy. They should themselves become role models for their employees. After that, they should demonstrate the behavior they want their workforce to follow and take inspiration from. When employees feel that their managers genuinely care about them and their well-being, they are more likely to reciprocate the same with managers and their co-workers.

Build an environment of unconditional trust

Employees need to feel that they can trust their managers and co-workers to develop empathy. When employees feel like they are constantly being watched and judged, they will not be able to open up and share their feelings. Therefore, to ensure that the employees have empathy, managers should build an environment of unconditional trust within the organization.

Conclusion

There’s no denying that having empathy as a manager is one of the most important traits to possess. It helps you understand your employees’ points of view and makes them feel appreciated and respected. In this blog, we outlined some essential facts about the importance of empathy and how to develop it as a manager. Additionally, we provided you with 5 tips on developing empathy as managers. We also gave 3 practical tips on developing empathy in your employees. By following all these tips, we believe that managers can create an empathetic environment in their organization.

Develop an empathetic approach with the active listening toolkit.

Become aware of your team’s concerns by efficiently practicing active listening as a manager.

Download Now

FAQs

Can you have empathy without compassion?

Empathy and compassion are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct concepts. Empathy refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, while compassion refers to the desire to alleviate the suffering of others. However, it might be hard to cultivate compassion without empathy.

What are the benefits of empathy in the workplace?

Adopting an empathetic approach at work helps managers improve relationships with their team members. As a result, you can have a positive environment through an emotionally intelligent approach.

What is an essential part of empathy?

The most important part of being an empathetic manager is understanding things from another person’s perspective. Looking at situations from the view of another person and understanding how they would react is critical to empathy.

How can empathy improve your work life?

Empathy can improve life at work by allowing you healthier relations with your team. Empathetic people are also generally emotionally competent and thus do not give impulsive reactions. The better understanding of other people is the best part for managers.

Other Related Blogs

Podcast