Being a successful team doesn’t mean you always agree, at first.  It means you develop a method to come to agreement. Here are the five steps you should take to resolve conflict:

Make the first move. Reach out, make a phone call, and schedule the meeting. Get the discussion going. Don’t wait to be invited to the party, host the party.

Reaffirm your dedication to the desired end state. Make sure there is understanding and alignment on the positive outcome that you both desire – we are in this together trying to get to the same place.

Begin with what might be your fault. Ask yourself, then the other party, two important questions to start the discussion on a positive track: What should I have done? What could I do now? You can’t get around the obstacles until you agree on what the obstacles are.

Listen for their perspective. Conflict always involves emotion. The most powerful action in conflict is for people to know they have been heard and understood. Only then is resolution possible.

Agree on the path forward. The goal is not to prove you are right, it is to provide the light…to the right answer. Ask questions about possible options, offer potential solutions, all with a keen focus on the desired end state.

“Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” – Ronald Reagan