
411: 3 Types of Team Conflict and How to Resolve Each One
From The Modern Manager by Mamie Kanfer Stewart
June 9, 2026 · 13 min
About this episode
This episode discusses the three types of team conflict and provides strategies for resolving each effectively.
Some team conflicts seem to get resolved quickly. Others keep resurfacing in meeting after meeting, leaving everyone frustrated and no closer to a solution. In this episode, I explain why certain disagreements are so difficult to resolve and introduce a simple framework for identifying the three types of conflict that show up on nearly every team: process conflict, perspective conflict, and personality conflict. You'll learn how to recognize which type of conflict you're dealing with, why different conflicts require different responses, and the practical steps managers can take to help conversations move forward instead of going in circles. By the end of this episode, you'll have a clearer way to diagnose team disagreements, reduce unnecessary friction, and help your team navigate conflict more productively. Conversation Topics (00:00) Why smart teams get stuck in unresolved disagreements (00:54) The three types of conflict hiding inside one conversation (03:06) Type #1: Process conflict and clarity on how work gets done (04:23) Type #2: Perspective conflict driven by values, experience, and expertise (05:19) Type #3: Personality conflict and clashing work styles (06:20) Move #1…
People in this episode
Host: Mamie Kanfer Stewart
Topics covered
- team conflict
- conflict resolution
- management strategies
- team dynamics
- process conflict
- perspective conflict
- personality conflict
Keywords
- team conflict
- conflict resolution
- management
- process conflict
- perspective conflict
- personality conflict
- team dynamics
- disagreements
- communication
- leadership
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