Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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It’s easy to assume that because two teams are part of the same organizational culture, they share the same norms and values. But teams often have different ways of working, which can make collaboration a challenge. For example, one team may prefer to resolve conflicts as a group, while another may assume that conflicts are best resolved in private. To get two groups to work together effectively, you generally have three options:

o Adopt one approach. For example, the team that discusses conflict privately may begin doing it in meetings if the other team makes a compelling case for their method.

o Integrate both approaches. The teams could agree to initially raise a conflict in private, and then jointly raise the issue with the larger team.

o Compromise. The teams might agree to let each member decide whether to raise a conflict privately or with the team. Compromise should be a last resort, though, as it often leaves everyone feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

This Tip was adapted from “Getting Teams with Different Subcultures to Collaborate,” by Roger Schwartz.

To check out that HBR article and join the discussion, please click here.

Also, you may wish to check out an anthology, Management Tips from Harvard Business Review, by clicking here.