When James met Yvonne: Managing conflict in the workplace

It started with an eye roll. 

James had just walked out of a team meeting, visibly annoyed. Yvonne had, once again, interrupted him mid-sentence to “clarify” what he was trying to say. James, a methodical and reserved project manager, liked to present ideas in a structured and deliberate way. Yvonne, on the other hand, was an energetic, quick-thinking marketing lead who thrived on brainstorming aloud and jumping in with enthusiasm. To her, she was contributing. To him, she was constantly undermining him. 

Their manager, Priya, had seen this play out too many times. They were both talented professionals but the tension between them was beginning to affect the whole team. Deadlines were missed due to miscommunication, meetings felt tense, and colleagues started avoiding projects that involved both James and Yvonne. 

So, what was really going on? 

The roots of workplace conflict 

In many workplaces, conflict doesn’t stem from malice—it stems from personality differences and poor communication. James and Yvonne had fundamentally different styles: 

• James valued precision, preparation, and a calm tone. 

• Yvonne thrived on energy, spontaneity, and fast-paced dialogue. 

Neither was wrong. But without understanding or adapting to each other’s style, they constantly misread each other’s intent. James saw Yvonne as reckless. Yvonne saw James as rigid. Their inability to communicate effectively across personality lines turned every project into a battlefield. 

Minimising conflict before it starts 

Priya knew she had to step in—not just to protect the team dynamic, but to help James and Yvonne grow. She initiated a team-wide session on working styles and communication, followed by a facilitated one-on-one conversation between the two. 

Here’s what helped: 

• Creating psychological safety 
  Priya encouraged open and nonjudgmental conversations. In the one-on-one session, both James and Yvonne were asked to share not just what was frustrating them, but why it felt frustrating. 

• Building awareness of personality types 
  They completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI; a self-report questionnaire designed to measure psychological differences), which helped them see their differing preferences. James realised Yvonne wasn’t trying to dominate—she was excited. Yvonne understood that James needed time to finish his thoughts and felt disrespected when he was cut off. 

• Setting ground rules for communication 
  They agreed to: 

• Signal when they wanted to contribute without interrupting. 

• Recap decisions in writing to avoid misunderstandings. 

• Check in weekly for a quick, honest reflection on how their collaboration felt. 

Handling conflict when it arises 

Even after these steps, conflict didn’t magically disappear. Old habits crept back in. 

In one meeting, Yvonne pushed hard for a new campaign idea. James looked irritated; his arms crossed—but instead of shutting down, he took a deep breath and said, “Yvonne, I can see you’re excited about this. Can I have 10 minutes to walk you through some concerns I’ve noticed?” 

Yvonne, remembering their agreement, nodded. They disagreed—but this time, they stayed respectful. They had finally learned the golden rule of conflict management: It’s not about avoiding conflict; it’s about handling it constructively. 

Key takeaways for leaders and teams 

If you're seeing conflict in your team—especially between strong personalities like James and Yvonne—here are a few things to keep in mind: 

• Understand the root cause. Conflict often comes from different interpretations, not bad intentions. 

• Encourage open dialogue. Make space for people to express themselves in a safe environment. 

• Facilitate personality insights. Tools like the MBTI and the Work Personality Index (WPI) can help people understand each other better. 

• Establish communication norms. Agree on how to challenge ideas without challenging people. 

• Coach conflict skills. Conflict isn’t the enemy—unmanaged conflict is. 

James and Yvonne still clash from time to time, but now, it’s more like healthy debate than all-out war. They’ve learned to appreciate each other’s strengths, and their projects have never been more creative—or more on time. 

Because sometimes, the best results come from friction—when it’s managed well.