If two workers are in conflict, don’t rush to decide who is right simply because one person came to you first. Slow the situation down and hear both sides. Sometimes the real issue is not the argument they are having today but an old offence, misunderstanding, competition, or unclear responsibility that has been building for some time.
Speak with them privately, and if appropriate, bring them together after you have understood what happened. Let each person explain their side, but don’t allow the conversation to become another opportunity to attack each other. Your job as the leader is not just to find the person to blame; it is to help restore what has been damaged and make sure the same problem doesn’t keep returning.
Jesus gave a very practical pattern in Matthew 18:15: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” There is wisdom in that. Don’t turn every disagreement between two workers into a department-wide matter. Handle it as privately and as fairly as possible.
And after the conflict has been addressed, look at the system around them. If they keep fighting over who has authority, perhaps their responsibilities were never clear. If they keep clashing because of communication, perhaps the way the team operates needs to change.
Sometimes reconciliation will happen quickly. Sometimes it takes time. But don’t simply tell them, “Please settle your differences,” and walk away. Help them understand what needs to change, hold them accountable for it, and give them room to rebuild trust. A peaceful team isn’t one where nobody disagrees; it’s one where people have learned how to disagree without destroying the work they’re serving together.
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