No matter how well you and your team often get along, it’s almost inevitable you experience conflict at some point. Maybe team members disagree with how you handled changes to their report, or they argue about who is allowed to take time off during the busy season.

“Managers at work must have a quick and straightforward blueprint for resolving interpersonal matters in the office,” writes Jeremy Pollack with Fast Company. He recommends using four steps he’s dubbed LEAD, which stands for Listen, Empathize, Acknowledge and Do (something).

1. Uncover the roots of the conflict.

This step involves listening to team members to understand their concerns and problems. Rather than proposing solutions or making assumptions before you have a full grasp of the genesis of the issue, listen to employees first, writes Pollack

2. Understand everyone’s perspectives.

Here’s where empathy comes in. “Now it’s time to take what you heard and do your best to put yourself in their shoes. Remember, this does not mean you have to agree with their assessment. You do, however, need to understand how they feel about a situation,” Pollack advises.

3. Tell your team you get it.

Acknowledge that you hear where your co-workers are coming from. You can do this by paraphrasing some of what you’ve been told—and offering an apology. Pollack offers a few sample phrasings, such as “I’m sorry I said that without considering how it might make you feel.” He warns that you need to make the apology reflect you rather than them, so don’t say something like, “I’m sorry you saw it like that.”

4. Suggest a solution.

Now it’s time to act. Announce an idea to help bridge the disagreement, but be sure to seek your team’s buy-in. One example is, “I’m going to talk to the director and see if we can officially change that policy. Would that solve the problem?”