Conflict tends to arise when individuals/roles/teams/orgs are trying to achieve goals that point to different directions.

The best way to avoid, manage, and solve conflict (and the one exercise that helps teams the most with the least effort) is to get those individuals/roles/teams/orgs aligned on goals.

This usually requires the exercise of sitting and discussing what each individual/role/team/org expects the product/service/project to achieve as a result, and then clarify until all team members can agree on those results.

The clarification process is very important, and requires going into as much detail as needed for defining clear results per goal, and as much consensus and agreement as possible on the definition of those results from all parties involved.

Once goal definitions are clarified, conflict is minimised, or solved, by comparing opposing ideas and selecting those that get the product closer to the expected result.

Time spent will always have handsome returns as much less time lost to conflict, disputes and differences, and individuals/roles/teams/orgs working much more efficiently by all being directed towards the same end.