When an Operational Problem Turns Into Conflict

Two coworkers can’t stand each other. By the time the issue lands on HR’s desk, it looks like a classic personality clash. But what if that’s not actually how the conflict started? A surprising amount of what gets labeled “interpersonal conflict” at work begins with something operational: unclear roles, overlapping responsibilities, undefined authority, poor processes, or expectations that were never clearly communicated. Leave those issues unresolved long enough, and people start assigning m...