Team Dynamics and Conflict Resolution Strategies

Team Dynamics and Conflict Resolution Strategies

Conflict and resolution are a vital part of any project. Conflict is a catalyst of change and is a necessary process though which decisions are made. Decisions made through conflict resolution or problem management have the power to alter a project for the better or worse, therefore it is essential that a team employs conflict resolution strategies throughout a project’s lifespan. By integrating a process driven system of conflict resolution, teams can ensure they are dealing with the most important issues as they arrive and stay on target of attaining the goals of the original project.

Effective problem resolution strategies exist in many forms for various projects. This paper focuses on conflict resolution in a professional corporate team environment. The strategies presented in this paper are designed to increase communication between team members in a constructive and open fashion, fostering increased conversation and thinking among members of the team. This paper also looks at the conflict of emergent problems and presents a strategy to manage this type of conflict. Finally, this paper examines why critical thinking skills are crucial to a problem or conflict resolution strategy.

Defining the Issue

Diagnosing a situation and deciding how to proceed is the heart of problem management or conflict resolution. Concise, intelligent definition of the issue at hand is imperative if a solution is to be found which will be beneficial to the team environment. According to Interact Performance Systems (1999), there are four principles to adhere to when communicating a problematic situation to a team they are as follows:

• Be direct

• Be specific,

• Be non-confrontational

• Diagnose the issue directly

In relation to problem solving, being direct and specific means addressing the issue in a clear and succinct fashion. A member of a team who sees a conflict developing should bring the issue to the team, stating the issue in conflict to the team without downplay or speculation as to why the conflict exists. Issues should be presented one issue at a time to avoid conflicting resolution efforts. Prominent managerial information columnist Edward de Bono also applies these techniques in his strategies for problem resolution through a “thinking point of view.” (2003)

Presentation of conflict or issues in a team setting should be in an unbiased and non-confrontational manner. It is not the place of the team member who presents the issue to assign blame for the issue. Use of non-confrontational tactics in speech and body language should be observed when presenting information in a team setting. The intention of identifying issues is to get them resolved through teamwork; assigning blame could put a team member on the defensive which hinders open communications.

The team should take the information presented and diagnose the problem thoroughly and directly. Focusing on the issue determines the course of action to take. The team should break the issue in to manageable sections and set clear and agreeable terms for resolution. Resultant issues or conflict which comes as a result of the conflict resolution efforts should be addressed independent from the initial issue, subject to their own problem management process.

Emergent Conflicts

Conflict that arises outside of the normal scope of a problem resolution strategy is called an “emergent problem” (Interact Performance Systems, 1999) Emergent conflicts are issues which do not directly stem from the project a team is working, rather they come to light during the planning and implementation phases of a project as small issues which could spiral in to larger problems. Emergent conflicts cannot be ignored yet they require a slightly different approach to problem resolution than larger “show stopping” issues the team may undertake.

These types of conflicts have some distinct characteristics. Emergent issues appear during the process of existing problem resolution efforts, however emergent issues are different that the original problem. Emergent issues put the original project in jeopardy and the original conflict cannot be solved without addressing an emerging issue.

In order to get back on track of solving the original conflict and allowing the team to return to productive work, the team must address the emergent problem first. By focusing on the emergent problem the team can ensure it devotes itself to finding the most beneficial solution for the issue. The team should ensure it clarifies the issue as it becomes apparent