From Breakdown to Breakthrough: A Story of Restoring Connection Through Workplace Conflict
by Rehana Tejpar
It started with a message that was meant to be private.
“I request not being in a room alone with her”
Instead, it was sent to the entire Zoom room. The energy in the virtual space shifted immediately. Tension rose palpably. A moment later, one person went off camera and the other person messaged me directly: “I’m feeling very scared to be vocal without seeing her face.”
This was the tip of the iceberg of a larger unraveling.
There is a back story to this specific moment, the organization had recently gone through a period of immense change and growth. The growth rightfully brought pride and a sense of accomplishment for leadership and staff, who worked tirelessly to get here. Yet underneath the success the relational foundations of the organization were cracking. Staff and leadership were burnt out, stretched thin, and overwhelmed. Interpersonal conflicts began to arise, with no time or psychological safety to slow down and process them.
Without space for reflection, misunderstandings spread and conflict deepened. One conflict led to arduous investigations that entrenched conflict even further. With the conflicts deepening, some leaders left, others took time off, requiring new managers to step in. The new managers had little time to settle in or build the relational trust their roles required. This fanned the flames of unsafety that were alive in the team culture. Employees became more hesitant to speak up; fearful of being judged, criticized, or calling someone out unintentionally. Everyday conversations became charged. Being online did not help: there were fewer moments of casual connection, fewer chances to soften or repair misunderstandings in passing.
The organization prided itself on being values-aligned, yet embodying those values, especially in moments of conflict, was becoming harder. Trust was eroding. The deeper conversations about differing perspectives, which are essential for generative teamwork, stopped happening. Divides and grievances began to form.
That’s when Moyo and I - lead facilitators at Bloom were invited in to support a team health and conflict resolution process.
Our Invitation In: Listening Beneath the Surface
Our first step was to understand the situation from each team member’s perspective. We listened closely through one-on-one conversations and group sessions to uncover the themes under the surface. Our goal was to support the team to arrive at a shared understanding of what was happening, where there was pain, and where there was potential. We facilitated group conflict resolution circles and interpersonal mediation sessions. It wasn’t easy. The first 1:1 and group sessions were tense and cautious. Emotions were at the surface.
Then, something shifted.
Minutes before opening the Zoom room for our second session, Moyo, my co-facilitator and I had an idea: “What if we started with a dance party?”
It felt counter intuitive, maybe even absurd given the level of conflict. But we knew that dance is ancient practice for building connection and joy, and that rhythm can co-regulate a dysregulated nervous system, opening pathways to connection. We put on Forbidden (featuring Sio) by Dwson and to our surprise, many team members stood up and danced. Others stayed seated, watching with smiles, nodding along to the beat. For five short minutes, laughter and rhythm cut through the tension. Something softened. Something shifted.
That session, we introduced a process to support the group to look deeply at the intentions and impacts of their actions with one another. Participants were invited to name either:
An action they took and the intention behind it, or
The impact they experienced from someone else’s action
There was no debate or discussion, only listening. Each speaker chose someone to paraphrase their words, offering a moment of active, empathetic reflection. People shared about their fears of not being “good enough” because they “ask too many questions”, or “aren’t emotional enough”, or “share passionately and authentically.”
For the first time in months, people spoke openly about what had been unsaid: their motives, their missteps, and the unintended consequences of their actions. Misunderstandings that had grown into full-blown grievances were aired and acknowledged. A heavy silence began to thaw.
One particularly powerful moment came when two team members who had been in deep conflict shared their experience of mediation in the circle. They spoke of how their insecurities of not being good enough, and past experiences of pain and feeling unsafe, had shaped their actions, and how their once collaborative relationship had become competitive and oppositional. As they spoke, you could see that their awareness of what had transpired in their collaboration had lifted a veil for not just them but the whole team to feel and experience. It felt like a collective exhale, a long, deep sigh of relief.
Staying Present, Step by Step
We didn’t know exactly what would happen. We were in the unknown with them. We had a plan, yes, but we had to stay responsive to what unfolded in real time.
Conflicts are not predictable journeys. They are living processes of unraveling, like a fern unfurling its leaves. Conflicts open us to ourselves and each other, shining light on places that were not exposed before. They have the potential for personal and collective healing and liberation and yet the process itself doesn’t guarantee that. How we each show up in the process has a ripple. With each word, thought, action taken - there is an impact on the individual and group body, making it impossible to know how it will unfold ahead of time. The only thing to do is to be present and tolerate the discomfort of not knowing how the story will unfold.
Looking back, change came from small, consistent, and courageous steps taken over the course of six months. It emerged as people began to feel heard, seen, and reflected. Together, we built a shared understanding of what was happening for the team as a whole, navigating tension through facilitated conversations. We increased our awareness of the nervous system and explored regulation tools, such as movement, music, and meditation to help us ground and open each session with intention. Change also came from the choice to show up again and again.
Each person had their own backstory that led them to their experience - and when they had the space to slow down to listen to each others’ stories, and understand one another deeply, the empathy and compassion for one another flowed like a river. They could see the inherent goodness in one another. They could see the social conditioning, their efforts, struggles and failures as part of the journey of being human. This brought them closer together.
From Conflict to Connection
By the final session, an employee said:
“For the first time, I feel connected while in conflict.”
Together, the team co-created a set of principles and practices to restore psychological safety and rebuild trust.
They committed to progress over perfection, knowing this would be a learning and unlearning journey. They walked away with a deeper sense of connection and a renewed ability to live out their values not just in moments of ease, but in moments of challenge.
It’s Never Too Late
This process affirmed something we deeply believe: conflicts that have entrenched over time can feel daunting, even unchangeable. We may fear that others won’t be able or willing to do the work, or that it's too late to repair. But it’s never too late. Conflict transformation is possible and it’s worth the effort.
Most of us spend the majority of our lives at work. These relationships matter not just for getting the job done, but for our own mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. When conflict remains unresolved, the weight of it makes every task heavier. When we face conflict with care and courage, that same energy can become a source of connection, healing, and resilience.
In January, we’ll be launching Building Bridges: Transforming Workplace Conflict into Connection, a seven-week cohort learning journey for those ready to develop the mindsets, skill sets, and heart sets for meaningful conflict transformation. Registration is open, and we’d love for you to join us.