By Natasha Saavedra | MedPro Dojo

“If we have trust as the foundation, we can engage in healthy conflict.”

Conflict is a natural part of any thriving workplace. Yet in many healthcare practices, it’s often avoided or misunderstood. Team members stay quiet to keep the peace, ideas go unspoken, and opportunities for growth disappear.

At MedPro Dojo, we believe that conflict, when handled with trust and guided by core values, is not a problem but a pathway to stronger communication, accountability, and unity.

In this post, you’ll discover how your practice can use core values as the foundation for effective conflict resolution and team growth.

The foundation of a strong practice lies in its core values. These are not just words on a wall; they are the rules of engagement that shape how your team communicates, solves problems, and makes decisions.

When your core values are clear and trusted, they give every team member a shared framework for how to act, respond, and resolve challenges.

Natasha Saavedra from MedPro Dojo shared a real example from one of their Virtual Executive Program offices. The team experienced some internal conflict, but instead of avoiding it, they used their core values as the guide for resolution. The result was deeper trust, better understanding, and stronger alignment within the team.

1. Healthy Conflict Builds Healthy Teams

Conflict is not a sign of dysfunction. In fact, when it is handled respectfully and honestly, it is a sign of trust.

As Patrick Lencioni teaches in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, healthy conflict only happens when trust exists. It allows people to share openly, disagree respectfully, and find solutions that benefit everyone.

If your team never experiences conflict, that might be a warning sign. It could mean that people are holding back ideas or feedback because they don’t feel safe to speak up.

2. Use Core Values as the Rules of Engagement

Every practice should use its core values as a guide for how to handle challenges. When something in the office feels “off,” return to your core values and ask:

• Which value is being tested or overlooked?
  

• How can we use our values to find the best solution?
  
  

For example, one of MedPro Dojo’s core values is open and honest communication. When conflict arises, this value becomes the foundation for resolution. It reminds the team that honesty, respect, and empathy must lead the conversation.

3. Turn Conflict Into Commitment

After any conflict or disagreement, the goal is not just to “make peace” but to create commitment. Natasha recommends holding a meeting with the people involved, giving them space to talk through what happened, and then asking each person to write down what they learned and what solutions they commit to moving forward.

This process turns a negative moment into a growth opportunity, helping team members become more accountable and connected.

4. Reflection or Self-Assessment

• When conflict happens in your office, do you avoid it or address it directly?
  

• Are your team members clear on what your core values really mean in action?
  

• What would change if every challenge was handled through the lens of your core values?

5. Action Steps / Takeaways

1. Define or revisit your core values. Make sure they reflect what your team truly believes and practices.
   

2. Train your team to use them. Bring your core values into meetings, reviews, and daily operations.
   

3. Create a process for conflict resolution. Encourage team members to reference your core values during any disagreement.
   

4. Foster open communication. Build a culture where speaking up is safe and honesty is valued.
   

5. Reflect and document outcomes. After conflicts, have team members note what they learned and what changes they will make.
   

6. Prefer to Watch Instead?

If you’d like to see this concept broken down in action, watch the video here:
👉 https://youtu.be/y4Slj3xn5yg

7. Final Thought / Closing Message

Core values are more than just inspiring words. They are the framework that shapes how your team behaves, communicates, and grows together.

When you build a foundation of trust and lead with your values, conflict becomes a tool for progress, not division.

So ask yourself:
Are your core values guiding your team, or are they just hanging on the wall?

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9. Who We Are

WHO WE ARE
At MedPro Dojo, we help leaders and healthcare teams break through their limitations by strengthening culture, communication, and accountability.

Whether it’s through training, coaching, or leadership development, we’ll help you raise your lid and unlock your full potential.

📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Call or Text: (833) 678-0800
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