Starting a business with friends is exciting. You already trust each other, share ideas, and have fun along the way. But when deadlines and decisions come into play, even the closest friendships can face tension. Fortunately, conflict doesn’t have to ruin your team or your friendship. In this article, we’ll tell you exactly how to handle disagreements to ultimately make your business stronger and help you grow as an entrepreneur.
Common Conflicts in Teen Business Teams
Even tight-knit teams run into problems. Some common challenges you might face include:
- Scheduling issues: Deciding who’s available for meetings or events.
- Division of tasks: One person feels like they’re doing more work than others.
- Creative disagreements: What should the web banner look like?
- Money matters: How to spend profits, or whether to reinvest in the business.
- Launch timelines: One partner wants to release the product sooner; another wants to wait until it’s perfect.
- Subcontracting conflicts: If you hire freelancers or other students, issues may arise about quality or deadlines.
Step 1: Talk It Out—In Person
It’s always a good idea to talk it out in person. Face-to-face conversations make it easier to see the other person’s body language, read their facial expressions, and understand the intent behind their words. They also help avoid misunderstandings that often happen in emails or texts since a lot of communication is nonverbal.
If you’re in a disagreement with someone on your team:
- Approach the subject with kindness instead of going in with blame.
- Listen carefully to what the other person is saying before responding.
And if you have subcontractors working on a product or service and they’re having a conflict:
- Be the mediator in the situation.
- Give both sides a chance to share their thoughts.
- Stay open-minded so you can help find a fair solution.
Step 2: Find Common Ground
To help diffuse the situation, try finding something you both agree on. Instead of feeling like it’s you versus the other person, finding common ground encourages a “we’re in this together” mindset.
Here’s how to do that:
- Listen actively: Focus on what the other person is saying instead of planning your next point.
- Look for shared goals: Maybe you both care about the business’s success and want the same outcome—you just have different approaches.
- Acknowledge their perspective: Showing you understand their perspective can encourage trust.
Research shows that teams with strong communication see a 72% boost in productivity, so aligning on values and goals is worth the effort.
Step 3: Figure Out the Problem
When conflicts pop up, it’s easy to start blaming the other person. But the real goal is to figure out what’s actually causing the problem—whether it’s deadlines, workload, or miscommunication—and work through it together.
One simple approach is to write it out. Grab a pen and paper (or a shared doc) and list the tasks or processes causing friction. Seeing everything in front of you makes it easier to identify where things are getting stuck and what needs to change.
Step 4: Create a Plan Together
Once you’ve understood the problem and brainstormed possible ways to address it, the next step is to create a solid plan you both agree on and can work through together.
For example, let’s say the conflict was about social media posting. One person felt they were handling all the content while the other wasn’t contributing enough. Your plan might look like this:
- Person A creates graphics and captions for two posts per week.
- Person B schedules the posts, engages with comments, and tracks analytics.
- You both meet every Friday for 10 minutes to review what’s working or not.
Having a clear plan sets expectations and gives you both a way to check progress without creating more tension.
Step 5: Follow Through and Stay Accountable
Even the best plan won’t work if no one follows through on it. To make sure things don’t fall apart, you need to stay accountable and keep your team accountable too.
Here are a few tips:
- Schedule follow-up meetings: Set specific times to review progress.
- Track your own tasks: Use notes, online calendars, or project management software to stay on top of responsibilities.
- Coach your team: Check in with others to see how they’re doing and offer support when needed.
This strategy helps prevent small conflicts from turning into bigger ones.
Stronger Teams, Stronger Friendships
Disagreements don’t have to break up your team. Learning to handle conflict now sets you up for success in college, business, and even your personal life. With open communication and a well-defined plan, you can turn conflict into a chance to grow as a leader.
The Kantner Foundation helps young entrepreneurs like you prepare for college success with scholarships and support. Learn more here!