Skill: conflict-resolution

Skill: conflict-resolution

Purpose

Facilitate structured resolution of cross-team priority conflicts using a neutral, data-driven framework. Helps PDMs broker agreement without escalating to leadership unnecessarily.

When to Use

• Two teams disagree on priority or timeline
• Resource allocation dispute
• Dependency dispute (Team A blocking Team B)
• Disagreement on scope ownership

Framework: Structured Conflict Resolution

Principle

"Separate positions from interests. Teams argue over positions ('We need this in Sprint 15') but share interests ('We both want the release to succeed'). Find the shared interest."

Step 1 — Understand the Conflict

Ask:

• What are the two (or more) positions?
• Who are the stakeholders on each side?
• What is the business impact of each position?
• Is there a deadline making this urgent?

Step 2 — Clarify Interests Behind Positions

Team	Position (What they say)	Interest (Why they want it)
Team A	Need feature X in Sprint 15	Customer demo on March 10
Team B	Can't deliver X until Sprint 17	Current focus on Platform stability

Step 3 — Impact Assessment

For each option, assess:

• Business impact if Team A gets their way
• Business impact if Team B gets their way
• Cost of delay
• Risk of compromise or partial delivery

Step 4 — Generate Options

Brainstorm 3–4 resolution options:

1. Team A's position — Full priority, Team B adjusts
2. Team B's position — Delay, Team A adjusts timelines
3. Compromise — Partial delivery (MVP) by Sprint 15, full by Sprint 17
4. Trade-off — Team A gets X, Team B gets priority on Y next cycle

Step 5 — Decision Framework

Score each option:

Option	Business Value	Feasibility	Risk	Relationship Impact	Score
Option 1	3	1	3	2	9
Option 2	1	3	1	2	7
Option 3	2	2	2	3	9

Step 6 — Recommended Resolution

State the recommended option with rationale. Draft a one-paragraph summary suitable for sharing with both teams.

Step 7 — Escalation Trigger

If no resolution is possible at this level, define:

• What decision is needed from leadership
• By when
• What the consequences of delay are

Output Format

1. Conflict summary (positions + interests)
2. Options table with scores
3. Recommended resolution with rationale
4. Stakeholder communication draft
5. Escalation brief (if needed)
6. Suggested next command: /decision-log or /status-update