Plan on it.
Experts on teams and team building describe four stages all teams go through: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. All teams go through all steps, one way or another.
In the storming stage, the initial flush of excitement at the creation of your team wears off, and personal feelings, opinions, and difficulties can push the team apart. But it’s only through this stage that teams get to a true sense of team (norming) and then high level performing.
Storming is inevitable, even when the team seems well-matched and excited at the outset. And it’s okay to storm – it’s how we develop our convictions, find better solutions, and create goals that the entire team can stand behind.
Knowing that storming is inevitable, a leader can watch for cracks in the initial team, and create the circumstances to help them storm and work through conflict to the other side.
Don’t think of it as something to be avoided; think of it as something to be used on your team’s journey to excellence.