Searching for the source of conflict in your team? Take a look at the decisions you and your leadership make—it could be the cause of mismanagement and misalignment.

“Where there is unresolved or mismanaged conflict, connect the dots to see how the issues relate to ineffective decision-making or misaligned choices,” writes Marlene Chism for Smartbrief. “When leaders understand the power of decision-making and the ripple effect of choices, they can shape the culture, drive growth and reduce costly mistakes.”

Here are three ways a leader’s poor decision-making can affect your team:

• Clarity and confusion. If you aren’t clear about the decision-making process within your team, you risk misunderstandings and increase the potential for conflict, writes Chism. When this happens, the natural response is to take action and find a solution for the conflict, but this might not always be the right solution.

“Remind yourself that conflict isn’t the problem, mismanagement is,” she explains. “Slow down. Notice your discomfort and your urge to take immediate action, but wait until you can clearly describe the current situation with facts instead of assumptions.”

• Choices versus decisions. If you’re conflating making a choice and making decisions, you might be making it harder on yourself to make decisions. Choices are tactical, but decisions are strategic and give direction, and often made in advance.

“When faced with what seems like a difficult choice, first look at previous decisions to help make your choices easier.  Look at mission, vision, values, characteristics and policy, then be guided by the decisions already made,” Chism explains.

• Bad motivations. Sometimes, choices aren’t always based on past guiding decisions. Unfortunately, bad choices are made based on avoiding risk, convenience and caving under pressure, which leads to conflict and mismanagement.

“Become aware of your actions and ask whether you were aware of your choices at the time or whether you taking the path of least resistance,” explains Chism. “Better decision-making means better choices, and better choices means better conflict management, and better conflict management means higher productivity and less stress.”