Effective team communication is a critical component of high-performance leadership, playing a vital role in fostering a positive team climate and facilitating task and social cohesion. A leader is responsible for cultivating a communication network that connects all team members, anticipates potential conflicts, and resolves internal differences.

This article will discuss the importance of interpersonal conflict management and utilizing two practical tools: the criticism sandwich and confrontation.‍

Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication – Mike Krzyzewski

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Effective leaders prioritize seamless communication between themselves and their team, as well as among team members. They cultivate an environment where concerns, grievances, and differing opinions can be expressed without fear, fostering collaborative problem-solving and mutual respect.

Unaddressed interpersonal conflicts can negatively impact a team's productivity, satisfaction, and cohesion. Effective communication lets leaders detect potential conflicts early on and proactively develop strategies to prevent these disputes from disrupting team dynamics.

The quality of team communication significantly influences the group climate. Successful teams emphasize discussions centered on objectives and tasks rather than interpersonal relationships to maintain productivity and enjoyment. Consequently, leaders must take responsibility for creating efficient and practical communication strategies to address and manage conflicts that may arise within the team.

The criticism sandwich

"Communication works for those who work at it." – John Powell

The criticism sandwich⁽¹⁾ is a widely acknowledged method for delivering constructive feedback, comprising three sequential elements:
• A positive statement.
• Future-oriented instructions.
• A compliment.

Often, when a team member makes a mistake or has a difference with some member, they take a defensive position. Starting with a positive statement, the person receiving the criticism is likelier to feel at ease and accept the feedback.

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After the positive statement, the criticism should be clear, future-oriented, and constructive, providing valuable input for the recipient to improve their performance or interpersonal relationships. The person receiving the criticism must experience it as input and not as an unproductive reproach. Instructions for the future add value to the recipient’s current performance or the quality of their interpersonal relationships.

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Concluding with a compliment reinforces trust and maintains a tight connection, enabling future conversations and fostering an environment where team members view criticism as an opportunity for growth. This technique is very effective because it allows people to internalize the criticism as an opportunity for improvement and not turn it into an attack on their self-esteem.

An example of a criticism sandwich conversation:

Imagine that Emilia is a team leader who is providing feedback to Chris, a team member who has been consistently late to meetings.

Emilia: Hi Chris, I hope you're doing well. I wanted to talk to you about our team meetings. I've noticed that you always come prepared with great ideas and contribute actively to the discussions, which is fantastic.

Chris: Thank you, Emilia. I try my best to be prepared and contribute to the team.

Emilia: However, I've also observed that you consistently arrive late to our meetings. Punctuality is important to keep the meetings running smoothly and to respect everyone's time. In the future, I'd appreciate it if you could arrive on time or even a few minutes early. This way, we can start the meetings promptly and ensure everyone's schedule is respected.

Chris: I apologize for that, Emilia. I understand the importance of punctuality, and I'll manage my time better to ensure I am on time for our meetings.

Emilia: Thank you, Chris. I appreciate your understanding and commitment to improve. On another positive note, your collaboration with other team members has been excellent. Your ability to work well with others and help them with their tasks has significantly impacted our team's overall performance. Keep up the great teamwork!

Chris: Thank you, Emilia. I'll continue to focus on collaborating effectively with the team and work on my punctuality as well.

Confrontation as a Communication Tool

“If people had the right skills and intention to communicate well, there would be no conflict. The better we are at communicating, the better our lives will be.”― Yama Mubtaker

Confrontation, when approached constructively, can be an effective tool for conflict resolution. Unlike challenging, which focuses on winning an argument, confrontation seeks to find a solution regardless of its source. When engaging in confrontation, it is essential to:

• Value the relationship with the other person.
• Speak slowly and thoughtfully.
• Understand the other person's position.
• Listen attentively to what the other person is trying to convey.⁽²⁾

Avoid explaining the solution, interrupting communication, resorting to sarcasm or hostility, relying on nonverbal cues, or discussing the problem with others before confronting the person involved. The goal of confrontation is to collaboratively solve the issue at hand, not to win an argument.

A demonstration of utilizing confrontation as a communication tool:

Imagine that Janice has concerns about the workload distribution within the team. She decides to discuss her concerns with her colleague, Bonji, using confrontation as a communication tool.

Janice: Hey, Bonji, do you have a minute? I want to talk to you about something.

Bonji: Of course, Janice. What's going on?

Janice: I want to start by saying that I really appreciate our working relationship and the effort you put into the team. However, I've noticed that the workload distribution has been unbalanced lately. It seems like I've been handling more tasks than usual, and I'd like to hear your thoughts on the situation.

Bonji: Thanks for mentioning this. I've been dealing with some personal issues recently, and I must admit that it's been affecting my work. I didn't realize it was causing an imbalance in our workload distribution.

Janice: I appreciate your honesty, Bonji. I understand that personal matters can sometimes impact our work. With this in mind, how can we work together to ensure a fair distribution of tasks while considering your current circumstances?

Bonji: I should be more open with the team and let everyone know when I struggle. Perhaps we can all collaborate to find a way to distribute tasks more evenly, even when some of us are facing challenging times.

Janice: That's a great suggestion, Bonji. Let's discuss this during our next team meeting and see what everyone thinks. I'm sure the team would be more than happy to support you and find a solution together.

Bonji: Thank you, Janice. I appreciate your understanding and willingness to work together to address this issue. I'll try to be more transparent about my situation and contribute to finding a solution that benefits everyone.

Conclusion

High-performance leaders must constantly strive to improve their team's communication and performance, guiding the team in acquiring new tools and strategies for conflict resolution. By effectively managing group climate through coexistence norms, promoting task and social cohesion, and implementing communication techniques such as the criticism sandwich and confrontation, leaders can cultivate a high-quality intragroup experience, bolstering both individual and collective enjoyment and success.

Notes:

(1) Smith, Smoll, and Hunt, 1977, as cited in Weinberg and Gould, (1996) Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology p. 268.
(2) Weinberg and Gould, 1996, p. 268.