🎒 Microlesson

🪞 Reflect

Think back to the last time you disagreed with a colleague. Did you avoid the issue? Escalate it quickly? Resolve it constructively? How does working remotely or in a hybrid setup affect how conflicts play out?

💡 Concept

Conflict is natural—and even healthy—on effective teams. But in remote and hybrid environments, it’s easy for tension to go unaddressed, be misinterpreted, or get amplified over digital distance. Without hallway interactions and real-time cues like tone and body language, conflict resolution takes more intentional communication.

Here’s how to manage conflict productively across distance:

🌐 Don’t let silence escalate the issue.

Conflict that’s ignored doesn’t go away—it festers. If you sense growing tension, confusion, or frustration, acknowledge it early.

✅ Example:

“Hey, I noticed some friction during that project debrief. Can we take a few minutes to talk it through?”

💬 Go live if needed.

Written messages can unintentionally sound curt or cold. If an issue is emotionally charged or interpersonal, don’t try to fix it in chat. Opt for a 1:1 video call where both parties can read tone, clarify intentions, and humanize the conversation.

🎯 Focus on the problem, not the person.
Keep the conversation centered on the facts, shared goals, and impacts of the issue—not on anyone’s assumptions or motives.

✅ Example:

“When you sent the client response without looping me in, I felt caught off guard. Let’s figure out how we can stay more aligned going forward.”

🤝 Listen to understand, not to respond.
Working remotely limits the context we have for any problems that arise. Before jumping to conclusions, ask open-ended questions. Then focus on their answer, rather than on what you'll say next.

✅ Example:

“I’d love to hear how you saw that situation from your side.”

📑 Use async follow-ups to recap and reset.

After working to resolve a conflict in real time, send a short written summary of what you discussed and agreed upon. This creates shared clarity, reinforces accountability, and helps to avoid future confusion.

🎬 Take Action

• If there’s unresolved tension with a colleague, schedule a short 1:1 to talk about it calmly and directly.

• Use video or voice—not text—to address emotionally sensitive topics.

• Practice separating behaviors from assumptions when addressing conflict.

• Create team norms for resolving conflict constructively. Include guidelines for when to address issues async vs. live.

• Model openness by inviting feedback when you’ve contributed to a misunderstanding.

🧠 Keep Learning

Learn more about how to collaborate with remote team members in the Workplaceless Remote Work Certification program.

✅ Check In

🎁 Learn with your team!

Refer our weekly microlessons to your team members to learn as a group! Just follow the instructions in the section below to get started.