In a recent LinkedIn post, Teresa Torres delves into the complexities of conflict within product teams, emphasizing that the absence of disagreement can be a more concerning indicator than its presence. Torres, speaking on the “All Things Product” podcast with Petra Wille, addresses a common challenge faced by product trios: breakdowns in collaboration leading to friction.
Torres highlights the enduring value of retrospectives, a practice that has become less fashionable in some agile circles. She shares insights from academic research on team dynamics, drawing a crucial distinction between two types of conflict: task conflict and relationship conflict. This differentiation is key, as Torres explains, because each requires a fundamentally different approach to resolution.
“Conflict on a product team isn’t a warning sign — the absence of it usually is.”
According to Torres, the tendency to conflate these two types of conflict is a primary reason why teams become stuck. She advocates for developing facilitation as a learnable skill, rather than something to be outsourced by default. “Facilitation is a skill, not a personality trait,” Torres asserts, underscoring the need for individuals within the organization, particularly product people, to cultivate this ability.
Understanding Task vs. Relationship Conflict
Teresa Torres introduces a framework that separates task conflict, which involves disagreements about the execution of work, from relationship conflict, which stems from interpersonal issues affecting how team members work together. As Torres points out, these distinct forms of conflict necessitate tailored responses.
The Role of Team Charters
Torres suggests that robust team charters are essential for proactively managing relationship conflict. Moving beyond simple mission statements, these charters should explicitly define working hours, communication preferences, and individual decision-making styles. “The powerful version [of a team charter] isn’t ‘what’s our outcome’ — it’s working hours, communication preferences, and how each person likes to make decisions,” Torres writes. By making these implicit norms explicit, teams can prevent friction before it escalates.
“Making implicit norms explicit prevents friction before it starts.”
Leveraging Task Conflict for Better Outcomes
Conversely, task conflict, when managed effectively, can be a catalyst for improved problem-solving. Torres argues that a complete lack of task conflict might signal an underlying issue with psychological safety, rather than a sign of harmonious teamwork. “Task conflict is good. It’s how teams get to better problem solving,” she states.
Strategies for Conflict Resolution
Torres and Wille discuss practical strategies for addressing both types of conflict. For task conflict, they recommend bringing the disagreement to the broader team, as what appears to be a bilateral dispute might be a shared sentiment or resolvable by other team members. “Bring task conflict to the team. What looks like two people disagreeing is often a disagreement others share silently — or one someone else on the team can resolve,” Torres advises.
When it comes to relationship conflict, the approach should be more direct and personal. Torres suggests attempting to resolve these issues one-on-one initially, with HR or formal mediation serving as escalation paths rather than initial steps. The podcast episode also touches upon the utility of running experiments to test solutions, which can be more productive than prolonged arguments over subjective opinions.
“Retrospectives still work. Agile may feel unfashionable, but the practice of pausing to ask ‘how are we working together?’ is one of the most valuable things a team can protect time for.”
In essence, Teresa Torres’s insights, shared via her LinkedIn post and the podcast discussion, provide a clear roadmap for product teams to navigate disagreements constructively. By understanding the nuances of conflict and employing deliberate facilitation strategies, teams can foster healthier dynamics and achieve more effective collaboration.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Teresa Torres on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on September 8, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →