You're facing team conflicts over workload distribution. How do you navigate them as an educational leader?

To navigate team conflicts over workload distribution, start by assessing fairly. Objectively evaluate each team member's tasks, considering complexity and time commitment. Understand that perceptions of fairness vary and aim to balance workloads equitably. Next, listen actively. Provide a safe space for team members to express concerns without judgment, paying attention to underlying emotions and issues. This builds trust and acknowledges their experiences. Finally, communicate clearly. Ensure everyone understands expectations, roles, and responsibilities. Transparency and prompt communication about changes help prevent misunderstandings and resolve conflicts effectively.

I usually address team conflicts over workload distribution by encouraging open communication and collaboration. A transparent dialogue is a must where team members can express their concerns and suggestions. Collaborative meeting helps at collectively assessing the workload, identifying imbalances, and reallocation of tasks based on individual strengths and capacities.

A systematic approach to reviewing job descriptions supports the evaluation of workload and prevents conflicts over a period of time. We do this on an annual basis to ensure that every colleague has the opportunity to discuss their role and what is expected of them. This dialogue ensures that expectations are clear and that job descriptions are fit for purpose. It also enables us to manage workload. We also run a staff-wellbeing committee that provides colleagues with an opportunity to raise concerns relating to workload. The committee chair manages this constructively and feedback to the leadership team. The impact of this has been positive in responding to conflict.

The best way to assess fairly is to give them KPIs beforehand and then assess them from time to time. Judging someone without setting KPIs and using any parameter is not a good approach. Also, do this in a one-on-one setting.

Your assessment should be objective. Look for two things in your team to decide on delegating tasks. 1. Their skillset 2. Their work ethic Delegate tasks to people according to their skillset. Delegate urgent tasks to people whose work ethic involves them getting their work done quickly. Delegate tasks that you can afford to spend time waiting for to people whose work ethic allows them to take their time to deliver quality work.

Active listening is too often an overlooked action of an effective leader. When missing this step there is a potential for your decisions to be misperceived as unfair or inequitable even if you took other appropriate steps to address the issue at hand. You want to prevent the perception that you did not listen to, care about, nor value your their input. Listening and genuinely caring about others’ input is also critical to fostering trust.

Listen without the purpose of responding. It's a skill of a leader to understand the other person. Sometimes, you just need to listen and hear them out to make the other person comfortable. This is true for both professional and personal settings.

Breauna makes a significant point. When there is conflict on a team, people need to feel listened to and validated. Taking notes, seeking clarification and summarizing the issues raised are important elements of active listening. Listening requires time and effort. The more intense the conflict, the more important it is to set time aside (even if the solution is clear). When dealing with a particularly emotive or challenging issue, I will say: 'I am here to listen in this session and I want to give you my 100% attention. I will then take some time to reflect upon the best way forward before getting back to you.' This signals that it'a all about the listening and removes the pressure of providing a response when emotions are running high.

Communicate clearly, and if any action is required, prefer written communication as well. If you tell someone you will meet them next week, then block the calendar; this will give the other person confidence.

Effective Communication for Team Clarity Communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity. Clearly articulate expectations, roles, and responsibilities to your team to ensure everyone is on the same page and understands their tasks. Transparency in communication can preempt misunderstandings that might lead to conflict. Additionally, promptly and effectively communicating changes in workload distribution fosters a cohesive and productive team environment.

Collaboration is key! Building on active listening, here is where you have the opportunity to give their voices credibility and trust allowing them to work together to reach a solution and in these cases staff are more likely to compromise, find common ground, and volunteer to take on work. This gives them ownership and invites commitment.

When we have a new project to implement or face a particular challenge that is likely to increase workload, we favour a collaborative approach. This involves getting key team members around the table, sharing the goal and/or problem and seeking their collective input on the best way forward. The merits of this approach are that people feel part of the process and that there is shared ownership and understanding of the work involved. It avoids a top-down approach in which one team member or department feel that they have got the short-end of the straw. Building this culture takes time and intentionality. Collaboration and collective problem solving often in KPIs to show that these are valued skills and qualities.

The use of project method involves a period of learning to work together. It is therefore up to the teacher to support the students in this, by providing them with ways of identifying the different skills within the group by asking questions such as: who is the most competent to carry out this task? Who can coordinate the group's ideas? Who can check how much time is left? Who can bring what materials? What method should be used to exchange ideas and get organised? And so on.

Using tools like Asana allows everyone to see each other's workloads and build a culture of transparency. It will also build a culture of accountability as everyone is aware of each other's progress.

After thorough assessment, listening, and communication, implement fair and balanced solutions. Adjust workloads based on team strengths and capacities, ensuring sustainability. Monitor effectiveness and be ready to make further adjustments, demonstrating your commitment to a fair workplace.

Setting boundaries which helps create segregation and limits friction among co-workers. It also helps in establishing healthy workplace practices

Principles of good group functioning can be shared and agreed by the group during the first few sessions. For example, rules on constructive communication can be established in consultation with the group. This contractualisation helps to create a climate that favours mastery goals (the desire to learn and progress) rather than performance goals (being better than the other person).