What Everyone’s Asking: A Q&A on Conflict, Accountability, and Morale

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June 2, 2025

It’s been quite a year so far, with more change than many of us have experienced in the entirety of our lifetimes. Some people handle change well; for others, it’s quite the challenge.

Amid all the change, FELTG caught up with instructor Ann Modlin (pictured at right) as she was preparing for her June 12 class Management Essentials for 2025: Address Conflict, Increase Accountability & Build Morale. Ann’s two-plus decades of experience as a government attorney – and, for many years, a supervisor – combined with her insight into current Federal workforce challenges, create the perfect confluence for a training that combines current events, the law, and practical skills to help make the workplace more efficient, and yes, enjoyable.

Read on for our questions and her answers.

FELTG: Why is now a good time for supervisors and advisors to think about the relationship among conflict, accountability and morale?

AM: Because it’s always a good time to analyze the workplace aspects of conflict, accountability, and morale. The three concepts play on each other every day, and too often supervisors and advisors do not take the time to really assess that interplay. Understanding that conflict is not inherently bad, but instead taking the steps to understand it, helps with building accountability and morale. And that makes the workplace better for everyone.

FELTG: What potential conflicts should employers be aware of as more employees are now reporting to work onsite?

AM: Conflict is typically a function of personality. When people interact more on a daily basis, as will occur with the shift to working onsite, those personality differences are more obvious and have a greater chance of resulting in conflict. Early intervention and establishing boundaries will go a long way.

FELTG:  Do you have any suggestions about the best way for a supervisor to handle a conflict between coworkers?

AM: The key to handling conflict between coworkers is to understand fundamental personality differences. Seventy-five percent of people have different core personality types than our own, but most people do not contemplate how that impacts on interpersonal relationships. A knowledgeable supervisor can help employees appreciate their differences, which can be a helpful step to mitigate the conflict.

Join us on June 12 for much more information on these important topics, or bring this class specifically to your agency. It’s too important to miss. info@feltg.com

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