Most consultants on LinkedIn still view culture and wellbeing as something managers must maintain, a kind of ongoing caretaking or guru-type role layered on top of everything else they already do. The problem is that this model doesn’t scale.

In-team workplace conflicts rarely explode out of nowhere. They build from small lapses in tone, timing, or behavior that go unaddressed until they harden into something larger. Most teams rely on goodwill or leaders to manage these moments, but so much time and effort can be taken up if managers need to intervene in every minor issue.

Most of us were taught that when uncomfortable friction arises during a disagreement, we have only three responses to consider: Fight Push back using a tit-for-tat reaction. Flight Step away. Avoiding the moment, and sweeping it under the carpet. Freeze Get stuck. Go silent. Ignoring the situation and shutting down.

And so, tension quietly builds, trust erodes, and what was once a cohesive team begins to fracture. We can keep encouraging people to “speak up,” but the real question is how should a team member respond in that very moment when someone crosses their line?

In a long and insightful dialogue between Des Sherlock (the creator of SpatzAI) and his consultant, a powerful alignment emerged — a potential partnership that could redefine how organizations handle workplace conflict....

Most people treat disagreeing and objecting as the same thing, but in my view, they are very different, and understanding the difference changes how we handle micro-conflicts.

I agree with neuroscientists suggesting the negative effects of complaining: it drains energy, breeds resentment, and often changes nothing. But not many people know that there is a responsible way to complain. It’s called objecting.