"In a previous position, I worked on a team that had challenges with power dynamics, interpersonal conflict, and trust. Unfortunately, the mid-to-upper managers appeared unaware of the tension and the damage to the overall team. I had only been in my position for a few months, and I could see how significantly the long-term effects of these dynamics impacted the productivity and morale of my colleagues. So, I set up an informal meeting with my coworkers to discuss the conflict within the team and glean some concrete issues contributing to the tension. With consent, I took those concerns to my supervisor in our next one-on-one meeting to seek solutions and mediation. She was grateful to have something tangible to work with and take to management, and from there, she was able to set up a team meeting to bring these issues to light and set some whole-team expectations to prevent tensions from rising again in the future. In less than two weeks, productivity, morale, and collaborative work increased significantly."
