The princes founded the Sentebale charity in 2006, to help people in southern Africa living with HIV and Aids. In solidarity with its board of trustees, the princes withdrew their support of the charity after relationships between the trustees and the chair “broke down beyond repair” and caused an “untenable situation”, the princes reportedly said in a joint statement.
Much of the disagreement was due to conflicts over fundraising matters, according to The Times.
When situations of organisational infighting arise, employers must act swiftly, said workplace culture consultant Colin Ellis.
He told HR magazine: “HR professionals must be proactive culture architects. Culture decisions are often made by executives who hope that the culture resolves itself. It never does.
Read more: Workplace conflict costs the UK £28.5 billion a year
“HR, the custodian of an organisation’s culture, can take a number of steps to ensure that it is taking the lead in building vibrant cultures where great work can flourish.”
These steps include regular culture and conflict-management training, implementing regular pulse surveys, and clear policies and decision-making frameworks at executive level, he argued.
Jane Gunn, workplace mediator, echoed this advice, and emphasised the importance of of having a dispute resolution process. She told HR magazine: “By choosing early dialogue and having a dispute resolution framework embedded in the organisation's processes, strategies are already in place for de-escalation.
“HR professionals trained in mediation and dispute resolution can serve as champions and models of effective leadership conflict resolution. This approach enables problems to be addressed earlier, before key players exit or resort to formal processes.”
Read more: With more workplace conflict ahead, what's HR's next move?
In order for organisations to thrive, the people within them must be open to different views and perspectives, Lorraine Mills, principal consultant for the Right Management consultancy, stated.
Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “If we are curious and open to views that may contradict our own, and treat those perspectives with respect, everyone wins.
“This growth mindset ensures all voices feel valued, people will speak up (and be listened to) and problems can be identified early and resolved effectively. This environment can prevent unhelpful conflicts from arising whilst benefitting from robust and diverse perspectives when resolving problems.”
Mills also emphasised the importance of developing managers. She said: “It is key to invest in the development of managers to enhance their ability to identify and resolve conflict. Having challenging conversations, managing strong emotions and resolving disputes should be developed as a core management skill set.”
When leadership conflict arises, the consequences can extend across the whole workforce, Ellis added.
He said: “When leadership conflicts spiral, as we've seen with Sentebale, the repercussions ripple throughout the entire organisation.
“The Sentebale situation offers a sobering reminder that even organisations with the noblest intentions can be derailed by interpersonal conflicts. The 'irreparable breakdown' referenced in Prince Harry's statement didn't happen overnight, it resulted from a gradual deterioration that likely presented numerous intervention opportunities before resignation became the only option.
“HR's true value lies not in administering the aftermath of such conflicts, but in creating cultures where such extreme deterioration simply cannot take root in the first place.”
Leandro Herrero, founder of the Chalfont Project culture consultancy, agreed, noting that HR professionals should prioritise offering support over conflict resolution: "The external challenges of any organisation can be bad enough without adding internal infighting to the plot. HR should be an obvious port of support, not as ‘conflict resolution’ but as a broker for a healthy culture, where contradictory points of view can be held. The goal is to find ways forward without having to abandon positions."
