Peeling Back the Layers of Conflict
Written by Heather Heefner and Valentina Roca, Dart Communication Contributing Author
How do you resolve a conflict when it feels completely out of your control? Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, conflicts can feel impossible to solve. They can be messy, complex, and layered, leaving you wondering: how do I even start? Patrick Lencioni offers a model that helps make sense of this by comparing conflict to an onion—resolving it requires peeling back many layers to reach the core of your issue.
I recently worked with an IT team that was facing a frustrating problem in their workflow: their colleagues weren’t following the ERP process. The team was upset because they assumed this noncompliance was due to laziness or an attempt to bypass the system.
I advised them to apply Lencioni’s model. However, there was a challenge. The conflict had multiple layers, and, according to the model, the further a problem is from its core, the harder it becomes to resolve. Lencioni’s model outlines five common obstacles that can distract teams and complicate their efforts when solving any issue. In this post, I will explore each layer of Lencioni’s model and show you how peeling back each layer can help you reach resolution, much like the IT team and I did.
Patrick Lencioni’s Conflict Resolution Model
1st Layer: Issue Definition
The first step is to clearly define the issue. Everyone involved needs to agree on what the conflict is so that the facts are understood. For example, when I worked with the IT team the issue was that employees weren’t using the ERP system as they were required to.
2nd Layer: Informational Obstacles
Next, you must focus on gathering the facts. I asked the IT team to challenge their assumptions: What are you assuming? How do you know? Do the employees understand the ERP process? These self-directed questions helped the IT team move away from a perspective of blame and newly approach the issue with curiosity.
3rd Layer: Environmental Obstacles
The third layer involves examining the broader environment—company culture, communication breakdowns, or team morale—that might be contributing to the conflict. As the IT team and I cleared away the assumptions, we uncovered the real problem—it wasn’t laziness or disregard for the system. The issue was that the employees had never been properly informed of the ERP process, so many were unaware they were supposed to follow it.
4th Layer: Relationship Obstacles
Team dynamics can also impact how a conflict plays itself out. Past experiences, reputation, and team roles may influence how people’s engagement with an issue. In the IT team’s case, these relationship obstacles hadn’t yet surfaced, but in time, deeper relational challenges did arise.
5th Layer: Individual Obstacles
The final and most difficult layer involves individual differences—each team member brings their own personality, experiences, and emotional intelligence to the table. When it comes to the IT team, two leaders within the team worked on building trust by staying curious and open with each other, which helped them overcome personal obstacles.
When the IT team worked through their conflict and discovered the core problem, they were ultimately able to communicate their findings to the corporate communications department, which sent out instructions for the ERP system. Their strong dedication to wanting to resolve a problem resulted in the whole team being aligned on what is needed to drive success.
Resolving conflict often requires effort and deep reflection. Lencioni’s model of conflict provides a powerful framework that helps peel back the layers of even the most complicated disputes, ensuring you get to the heart of the problem. While the process may seem challenging at first, with practice, you’ll become more skilled at navigating conflicts and turning them into opportunities for growth and collaboration.