Team Conflict

Team Conflict?
Conflict in teams is a significant contributor to poor performance, but seldom is it dealt with effectively. This section will help with a basic understanding of conflict and how to deal with it. Conflict vs. Disagreement First, let's distinguish between conflict and disagreement, as there are common misconceptions. Disagreement adds needed argumentative dialogue to team discussions. Team members possess a cross-section of life experiences and general diversity that add richness to any discussion. Disagreement is inevitable and healthy to these discussions and, in fact, is needed to produce meaningful results. Disagreement should be welcomed by all team members and understood as a valuable contribution. Conflict is disagreement that has elevated to an emotional level. Conflict interrupts the normal work activity by distracting team members, undermining team spirit and, ultimately, loyalty. This is not the kind of environment that allows a team to perform at its best.

Types of Conflict "Conflict arises from the clash of perceptions, goals, or values in an arena where people care about the outcome" (Alessandra, 1993, p. 92). If the management of that conflict is not effective, it can totally disrupt the entire group process. However the old saying "that which does not kill us will make us stronger" illustrates how successfully managed conflict can benefit the group. The paragraph above illustrates why conflict is often termed either functional or dysfunctional. Functional conflict is at a level that enables a group to maximize it's performance, and the outcomes are desirable. However; when that conflict escalates to a level that disrupts the group and gets in the way of accomplishing its goals, then it has become dysfunctional. Managing that balance is the key to effective groups. Another way to categorize conflict is by focusing on its origin. How the conflict has evolved is clearly an indicator of whether it will help or hinder the group process. Some common sources of group conflict are listed in Cappozzoli (1995) and Alessandra (1993):

Values of team members Attitudes of team members Goals/Expectations - the processes and expected outcomes Roles and responsibilities of team members Limited resources Personalities Interdependency Increased interaction (frequency)

Allen C. Amason, of Mississippi State University, has studied conflict and its role in decisionmaking. He suggests there are two types of conflict: (These actually trace back to the sources listed above.) Cognitive - conflict aimed at issues, ideas, principles, or process Affective - conflict aimed at people, emotions, or values His studies showed the presence of both types in any group setting; but he's clear to explain that cognitive conflict is constructive, while affective is destructive (Brockmann, 1996). Another researcher, Thomas K. Capozzoli (1995), reinforces this by describing the outcomes of constructive and destructive conflict: Constructive conflicts exists when 1. 2. 3. 4. People change and grow personally from the conflict The conflict results in a solution to a problem It increase involvement of everyone affected by the conflict It builds cohesiveness among the members of the team

Destructive conflicts exists when 1. 2. 3. 4. No decision is reached and problem still exists It diverts energy away from more value-add activities It destroys the morale of the team members It polarizes or divides the team

Resolving Conflicts on the Team

By Marty Brounstein Conflicts among team members will occur from time to time, and team members may struggle to positively resolve conflicts that arise. Finding out with your team members how best to deal with conflict situations begins when you recognize positive team behavior and negative team behavior.

Staying off the destructive track

Various kinds of behavior make conflicts worse. Here are some examples:

Finger-pointing. Finding fault or blaming someone else does nothing to solve the problem is great for building unhealthy tension in a team. My way, or the highway. When you push and push for your point of view and show little interest in considering someone else's, you only increase the volume of debate, which drowns out any prospects of settling debate. Insults galore. Name-calling and other personal insults are not invitations for resolving a conflict. Verbal threats and ultimatums. These sound like, "I'm going to get you," or "This way or else!" Such outbursts intimidate some people, turn off others, and they're not exactly the best way to promote good teamwork. Defensiveness. Justifying your action instead of listening to what someone else is trying to tell you builds a wall between you and the other party, making agreements nearly impossible to achieve. Avoidance. Running away from the problem and hoping that it goes away avoidance at its best seldom resolves an issue. Beating around the bush. Attempting to address the concern at hand but then rambling and talking around the point simply clouds the issue so much that it's left unaddressed. Telling others and not the source. Complaining to others about what someone else has done and not talking directly to that person is a great way of stirring divisiveness on a team. Many people place this behavior at the top of the destructive-behavior list. Flaming e-mails. This means blaming and complaining electronically about the source of your concern and not talking directly to that person. Sometimes the perpetrator makes this unacceptable behavior even worse by copying others with the disruptive e-mail. Focusing on perceived intentions. Making assumptions about another person and, of course, assuming the worst is not a great frame of mind for dealing with team members about your concerns.

Running on the constructive track

Because disagreements and differences are inevitable with teams, your best strategy is encouraging team members to learn behaviors that help them work through conflicts and maintain respectful working relationships in the process. If you want to realize the benefits that can come out of conflicts (creativity, richer solutions, stronger teamwork), put these constructive behaviors into practice:

Stay in control. Being in control of your own emotions is where you begin when you're working out a concern with another person. Venting your frustration, spewing your

anger, or throwing sarcastic barbs only shows that you're out of control and prevents you from inviting the cooperation of others.

Be direct, factual, and sincere. You have to express your concern or problem clearly and constructively so that others understand where you're coming from. Getting to the point, stating the facts as you know them, and speaking with candor and respect are the best ways of getting to a point constructively and increasing the likelihood that you'll be heard the way you want to be heard. Go to the source. A conflict is best resolved by addressing it face-to-face with the other party. Telling a third party or communicating by e-mail cannot replace the person-toperson conversation that's required for conflict resolution to work. Despite the discomfort you may feel with this direct method, a good old-fashioned talk still is the tried-and-true method for resolving conflicts. Get into problem solving. So you have a conflict with another team member. Big deal! And you've worked out a solution with the other team member? Oh, now, that is the big deal. The whole idea is not the fact a difference or disagreement exists between two or more people, but rather that actions are taken to hammer out a solution. When you're able to work out solutions with other team members, now that's the big deal that teams need to have for resolving conflicts. Actively listen. Active listening is all about showing that you care and working to understand what someone else is saying and what that person truly means. Understanding that efforts to actively listen are greatly needed during conflict situations isn't difficult. Those efforts are greatly needed so that the parties can work out their concerns. Assume that the other person means well. This assumption is the safest that you can make when you're working with someone else, especially when you're dealing with a conflict. When you assume that the other person means well, you don't have to worry that someone's out to get you. You're free to deal with the actions and issues at hand. What a relief!

STEP BY STEP PROCESS Set up an environment that all parties know the goal is to resolve Make sure all parties want to resolve it All parties must accept the conflict as a mutual problem- not win/lose Explore the reasons for the conflict Generate solution options

Involved parties must agree on which solution is most appropriate Implement the selected solution Evaluate the success/failure of the solution Celebrate or go back to #6