411: 3 Types of Team Conflict and How to Resolve Each One

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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