Weekly Posts and Insights
Team Conflict Resolution Protocol I Direct Application with Matt Harrington
In Episode 19 of Direct Application, Matt Harrington talks about something every leader faces (and few prepare for): conflict in teams.
We tend to avoid it or hope it just fades away. But healthy teams design for conflict before it happens.
In this episode, I break down how to:
Recognize that conflict is a signal, not a setback
Use clarity to keep emotion in check
Apply a simple, practical framework — the RISC–PAUSE model
Build a Conflict Resolution Protocol so your team knows how to disagree productively
The best teams don’t fear tension — they use it to grow trust, creativity, and innovation.
Listen to the full episode here: [link to Spotify/YouTube]
Read the companion blog: Conflict in Teams: Why It Happens and How to Handle It Productively
Download the free Conflict Resolution Protocol Template: HarringtonBrands.com/Templates
Conflict in Teams: Why It Happens and How to Handle It Productively
When you have eight to ten people on a high-stakes team, conflict is inevitable. What matters isn’t if you’ll run into it — but how you engage with it. Study after study shows unresolved workplace conflict drains productivity. One report found employees spend roughly 2.8 hours per week on conflict. But when a team accepts conflict as normal and builds a protocol around it, everything changes. This is your second protocol — the one that transforms conflict from destructive to generative.
Teams & Conflict I Direct Application with Matt Harrington
Conflict in teams isn’t something to fear—it’s a sign of growth. In this episode, Matt Harrington unpacks Bruce Tuckman’s famous storming stage of team development and explains why conflict is not only natural but necessary. Healthy disagreement signals that a team is maturing, moving beyond surface-level cooperation, and learning to navigate real challenges together.
Leading the Disgruntled: How to Cultivate Renewal in Your Senior Team
In our Greenthumb Leadership framework, Stage 3 is called Disgruntled. These are your seasoned professionals. They’re knowledgeable. They’ve been in the system long enough to know how it works—and sometimes, how to work around it. But they’re tired. Jaded. Resistant. These are the overgrown plants in your garden. Once full of potential, they’ve picked up weeds, disease and bugs along the way: resentment, cynicism, and detachment. The real problem with Disgruntled C-suiters? They often hold the most power, most influence and most control. And, in that respect, they can be the most dangerous.
Conflict Resolution Lasagna
Lasagna is best when the layers are well-balanced—don’t rush or skip steps, or the dish (and resolution) will fall apart. Be patient and intentional with each layer.
Serve this Conflict Resolution Lasagna during tense team meetings, one-on-one conversations, or community disagreements. Pair it with empathy and the willingness to find common ground for the perfect harmony.
The Overlap of Conflict, Vulnerability, Trust, and Innovation
True innovation exists at the intersection of trust, vulnerability, and constructive conflict. As leaders, our role is to create the conditions for innovation to thrive. That means checking our egos, fostering trust, and modeling vulnerability. It means leaning into conflict, embracing discomfort, and having the courage to confront the most brutal facts of our current reality.
Navigating Conflict in the Workplace: The Downstairs, Middle Room and Upstairs of Resolution
Conflict at work is inevitable, but with the right tools, it can become an opportunity for growth. In this post we explore how leaders can guide teams through conflict by understanding how the brain processes emotions through the downstairs, middle room, and upstairs functions of the brain.
The Leader as a Gardener of People: Adolescent Stage
The "Adolescent" stage of follower development, akin to the teenage years, is a critical period where initial enthusiasm fades, and individuals start testing boundaries while seeking greater responsibility. Leaders must adopt a coaching approach that balances support and accountability, addressing behaviors that don’t align with organizational values, reinforcing early wins, and consistently adhering to established boundaries and goals. By proactively coaching and maintaining a positive environment, leaders can help their team members navigate this transitional phase and continue their growth into confident, competent contributors.
Mastering Facilitation: Your Go-To Script
Effective listening is essential for successful facilitation. This involves techniques like paraphrasing, asking open-ended questions, and synthesizing ideas. Skilled facilitators also track opinions, engagement levels, and group feedback. Here is your go-to script to handle many items you might run into as a facilitator.
Community Conflict: Regulate, Relate, and Reason
In an era of escalating conflicts, understanding how to manage disagreements is crucial for personal and community well-being. This blog post explores the essential steps of regulating emotions, relating to others, and reasoning effectively to foster safe, connected, and productive environments. Learn practical strategies to transform conflict into constructive communication and collaboration.