Conflict In Your Team? Use This Simple Tactic

Coming up in today’s edition:

1. One quick win: to make you a productivity machine

2. One proven system: to resolve workplace disagreement

3. One million-dollar question: to master any new skill

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1. THE BETTER VERSION OF MULTITASKING

Only 2.5% of the population can multitask effectively.

The brain is biologically designed for sequential, single-task focus.

When we switch tasks, the brain’s prefrontal cortex (crucial for executive function) becomes overloaded. According to the American Psychological Association, this reduces our productivity by 40%.

Psychologist Sophie Leroy discovered that this is because we experience “attention residue” when shifting tasks, meaning part of the brain is still focused on the previous task, limiting performance on the new one.

So why do 70% of us still multitask for at least one hour a day?

I was guilty of this more than anyone until I read the book by Nir Eyal - Indistractable.

One of the biggest reasons we multitask is the number of notifications pinging from calls, emails, Slack, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp… and the list goes on and on.

The younger generation that has grown up with social media suffers more than anyone 👇

89% of students suffer from “phantom vibration syndrome”.

Once every 2 weeks, they reported they felt their phone vibrating when it wasn’t. The subconscious is longing for a notification which manifests in a physical sensation.

7x steps you can take to combat this:

1. Schedule Focus Blocks: Set aside uninterrupted periods to work on a single task. Use tools like the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes focused, 5-minute break) to build momentum.

2. Prioritise Tasks Daily: Begin each day by identifying and prioritising your top tasks. This clarity keeps you focused and makes single-tasking more achievable.

3. Limit Digital Distractions: Turn off notifications so you go to your phone (not the other way around). Use airplane mode whenever possible, and keep only relevant applications open (uninstall the apps you no longer need too). These measures reduce the chances of task-switching triggered by alerts or curiosity.

4. Use “Timeboxing”: Dedicate blocks of time to specific activities (a technique highlighted in Indistractable). For example, 9–11am might be designated solely for strategic planning without interruptions.

5. Set Clear Intentions for Tasks: Define what success looks like for each task before starting. This specificity improves focus and prevents switching to tasks that may feel easier or more rewarding in the moment.

6. Practice Mindfulness Techniques: Training yourself to notice when your attention wanders can help pull you back into focus. Techniques like deep breathing and short, regular breaks can reset attention.

7. Batch Routine Tasks: Instead of addressing emails or messages throughout the day, batch them into set periods. This minimises interruptions to your main task.

If you are interested in learning more on the topic, this is a great watch on how Nir thinks 👇

Mantra for the week: Do only ONE thing at a time.

2. A BULLETPROOF SYSTEM TO RESOLVE TEAM CONFLICT

85% of employees experience conflict at work each month.

It costs companies over £300 billion annually in lost productivity.

So I’ve spent hours this week researching the major reasons for conflict in the workplace.

Here are some of the consistent causes of disagreements according to the data:

• 33% stem from personality clashes (often communication issues)

• 26% arise from workload and stress

• 10% come from a lack of role clarity

Even more worryingly, 25% of all employees avoid conflict at all costs, often allowing issues to worsen or remain unresolved.

So how can you build a system to solve it?

Forget CPR, you need CRR to bring your workplace relationships back to life.

The CRR Model

Add the CRR model as an agenda point to your next team meeting or weekly reflections session.

Then follow the following steps 👉 Complaint, Contribution, Request (CRR)

1. Each person share their top complaint with the team.

2. They then share the ways they have contributed to the situation they dislike.

3. They finish on making a request that they think will resolve the complaint.

This process makes it easier to receive feedback on a workplace disagreement, whilst keeping accountability high and opening up deep conversations that build trust between the group.

The CRR model in practise 👇

1. “Since I’ve joined the company, every time I say hello to you, you tend to ignore me or give me a frosty look which makes me feel unwelcome in the office.”

2. “I may have contributed to this frosty relationship by not making an effort to get to know more about you personally, your team and how I could support you.”

3. “How about we meet every month over a coffee to share how each of our teams can work better together - it will also give us an opportunity to learn more about each other outside of work?”

Give it a whirl this week and let me know how you get on 🤝

If the workplace disagreement is more serious, book in a slot here and I can share some more specific methods to your situation that have historically worked for your situation.

3. WHAT IS THE BEST TACTIC TO LEARN ANY SKILL?

According to the World Economic Forum, 50% of the workforce will need to acquire new skills to keep up with rapidly evolving jobs, driven by AI, automation, and digital transformation.

87% of executives reported skills gaps in the 2023 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report.

So how can we help upskill ourselves and our teams faster?

Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman is well-known for his work on the human brain and how the mind is divided up into two types of thinking: System 1 and System 2.

System 1

• We operate automatically and quickly

• Driven by instinct and intuition

• Used hourly as it requires less energy (autopilot mode)

System 2

• We are more thoughtful and analytical

• Addresses effortful mental activities

• Used when we have to work hard to figure something out

We default to System 1, but true learning requires System 2.

When we try to learn anything new, the connections between the neurons in our brain (our web of knowledge) are weak - figuratively and literally.

Whether it’s learning a new language or using our non-dominant foot on the football pitch.

If we don't struggle through this phase, System 1 takes over and we default to the already strong connections in our brain and we will never be able to bend a ball like Beckham 😂

Nobody likes looking like a fool - I get it. But when you’re stepping into something new, you’ve got to leave your ego at the door and be willing to struggle, just like a beginner. You’re going to ask questions that show what you don’t know. You’re gonna try things that make you look clumsy, maybe even a little awkward. That’s part of it.

If we endure the struggle and keep working at the new skill, the connections between neurons strengthen as more myelin (a specialised membrane for cell communication) is produced, enabling electrical activity to travel more fluidly between neurons.

After a period of struggle, a former System 2 challenge becomes a simple System 1 task.

The best learning occurs when we really have to work for it.

In the famous words of Ted Lasso, “We have to embrace change.” 👇

If you want to continuously improve in your field, you have to endure struggle and view the stress and failure as something positive, even desirable.

What can you intentionally struggle at this week to improve your performance?

MY TOP FINDS OF THE WEEK 🔍

For your performance:

• Geno Auriemma 🏀 “The difference between really good players and great players…” (Link)

For your team:

• Kobe Bryant 🗣️ methods he used to get the best out of his teammates (Link)

For your health:

• Aaron Rodgers 🏈 what he wished he’d known at 15 about handling harsh criticism (Link)