Resolve disputes faster by getting the team right first

A product manager once wrestled with a turf war: two engineering leads each insisted their team should own the new feature set. For weeks, the debate simmered, leaking into informal chats and eroding trust. Features stalled and deadlines slipped. When the manager finally brought everyone together—including the previously excluded UX designer—the room exploded with new perspectives. With an ensemble of stakeholders in the room, the best path emerged quickly.

This transformation happened because the manager shifted focus from the feature debate to the people debate. By mapping every stakeholder, identifying those sitting on the sidelines, and formally inviting them in, she turned a two-way deadlock into a rich, multiparty discussion. She prioritized participation over persuasion. Once all voices had aired concerns—about performance, design, and market fit—the group aligned on a hybrid solution that leveraged each team’s strengths.

Research on group decision-making confirms that the quality of outcomes improves when diverse expertise is pooled together. Elite coaches and military planners alike echo this: before fixating on tactics, assemble your squad, brief them, and then move forward. At companies like Apple and Intuit, this ensemble approach became a cornerstone of rapid innovation and cross-functional cohesion.

When your next tough call shows its ugly head, remember: winning the debate is less critical than winning the team. Get the right people in the room, surface all viewpoints, and you’ll uncover the best path forward together.

Before you wrestle with the challenge itself, pause and map every person impacted by the decision. If someone’s missing, invite them in—no exceptions. Then set a round-robin format where each voice has its say, and close by synthesizing their input into a clear, joint recommendation. If folks are still split, step in decisively—your role is to break the tie and move forward. Try this at your next project kickoff.