By Christina Nielsen, Content Marketing Specialist, october 2025
The conflict escalation model is a powerful tool that can help you visualize how conflicts develop and escalate if they are not managed properly.
The model divides conflicts into several stages, describing how a disagreement can arise and intensify over time — from the initial disagreement to a full-scale conflict.
The longer a conflict is allowed to escalate without intervention, the harder it becomes to resolve. Therefore, it is essential to understand each stage so that you, as a leader, can step in early and prevent the conflict from reaching more destructive levels.
Conflicts are an inevitable part of working together in a team and across any workplace. It’s how you and others handle them that determines whether they become destructive or constructive.
For leaders and HR professionals, the conflict escalation model is an essential tool for understanding where a conflict is in the process and how to intervene at the right time.
By understanding the 7 stages, you can spot early signs of disagreement, prevent misunderstandings, and foster a culture where conflicts are addressed openly and constructively — before they develop into entrenched positions and loss of trust.
Here, you can read about the 7 stages of the conflict escalation model and how they affect relationships and collaboration:
The first stage of the conflict escalation model begins when a minor disagreement arises. It’s often the innocent start of a conflict, where two or more people have differing opinions about something — but at this stage, the conflict isn’t yet visible or serious. The difference may relate to work methods, ideas, priorities, or goals, and it isn’t necessarily personal.
What it looks like:
Small misunderstandings occur.
Employees may disagree on how to complete a task but are not in real conflict.
This stage is typically characterized by mild discussion or minor issues that can easily be resolved if addressed early.
Leadership Tips:
As a leader, you should pay attention when a disagreement arises and encourage open conversations to clarify misunderstandings.
Early intervention and clear communication can help ensure that the disagreement doesn’t escalate.
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In the course Conflict Management and Effective Collaboration, you’ll gain a fundamental understanding of why people act and react the way they do — and you’ll strengthen your ability to handle conflicts effectively.
The course is designed for everyone — both employees and leaders — who want to improve their conflict management skills.
When a disagreement isn’t resolved, it can develop into personalization. The parties involved begin to perceive the conflict as an attack on their personal integrity. The issue shifts from being about a task or work method to involving emotions, making the conflict more intense.
What it looks like:
Leadership Tips:
The conflict expands, and employees begin to discuss it more intensely. What started as an isolated issue now spreads to include multiple aspects, making the conflict more serious. Employees may start involving additional people or topics, which makes resolution increasingly difficult.
What it looks like:
Leadership Tips:
As the conflict escalates further, dialogue between the parties begins to fade. Communication becomes less constructive, and employees start avoiding one another or reducing interaction to a minimum. Instead of seeking a solution, they focus on preventing further conflict.
What it looks like:
Leadership Tips:
The concept of the “Conflict Escalation Model” (in Danish Konflikttrappen or The Conflict Escalation Ladder) was developed by Austrian conflict researcher Friedrich Glasl in the 1980s.
Glasl, who was an organizational consultant, created the model to describe how conflicts between people gradually escalate if they are not managed properly.
At this stage, the parties begin to see each other as enemies, and the conflict has become much more serious. Employees now view the situation as a battle — an “us versus them” scenario. Enemy images arise when both sides stop seeing each other as collaborators and instead as opponents.
What it looks like:
Leadership Tips:
At this stage, the conflict has become openly destructive, and there is clear hostility between the parties. The conflict is no longer hidden, and it’s evident to everyone that the relationships have been seriously damaged. There is no longer any doubt that the situation is severe.
What it looks like:
Leadership Tips:
In the final stage, the conflict has become so intense that the parties are completely polarized. There is no longer any possibility of cooperation, and the conflict has reached a point where it is destructive for both the individuals involved and the organization as a whole. At this stage, the conflict can lead to serious organizational consequences, such as employee turnover or low team morale.
What it looks like:
Leadership Tips:
The illustration shows the conflict escalation model with its 7 stages – from the initial disagreement to full polarization.
The conflict escalation model provides a clear picture of how conflicts develop if not addressed in time. When you can recognize a conflict in its early stages, it becomes easier to act quickly and prevent it from growing larger and more destructive.
By working proactively with dialogue, early intervention, and open communication, organizations can create a healthier and more productive work environment — and avoid the serious consequences that escalated conflicts often bring.
Conflicts are easiest to manage before they grow. When disagreements and misunderstandings are addressed early, they can often be resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding.
A strong foundation for relationships is built on recognizing diversity as a resource. When we understand that people think and act differently, it becomes easier to communicate and collaborate effectively.
Here, tools like the Jungian Type Index (JTI) can be useful. JTI provides insight into employees’ preferences and collaboration styles, creating a shared language for differences. This strengthens collaboration, well-being, and the organization’s ability to prevent conflicts.