Conflict Resolution in Work Teams

Conflict Resolution in Work Teams

Team conflict arises from a dispute or disagreement from another’s point of view and that within a team; conflict resolution helps teams and students use constructive means to resolve problems early. The conflict shifts focus away from work and basic goals of the team, negatively impacting productivity and the bottom line. Constructive conflict resolution is the most critical of team skills. Team bonding cannot occur until the team has agreed upon a level of trust in order to operate effectively. There are specific attitudes and techniques that aid in resolving the different types of team conflict.

Working in a team can be a difficult task. Attending school online is even more challenging. All team members have busy lives. That is the reason most students choose online schooling. Working in an online team means that the members need to balance work and family while going to school. They also have to meet frequently to work on assignments. Coordinating schedules can be trying for the team members. Conflict can occur when people cannot attend scheduled meetings. Members can get agitated and feel like they are doing the bulk of the work when the others do not show up for meetings.

Scheduling work tasks and assigning ownership of those work tasks has become a job in and of itself. The importance of the team leader is a result of the increased emphasis on working in groups and team projects in the corporate world. This has been illustrated by our team’s progress while working on the “Resolving Team Conflict” project. In the modern world, teams may work either face-to-face, or in virtual workgroups that communicate via phone and/or online messenger.

Working in teams from remote locations is becoming increasingly popular due to the time and money it can save. Distance teams have become a wave of the future with the advance of the communications through computer interface and teleconferencing. With the invention of computer communication technology, people expect to communicate easily with each other and accomplish difficult work despite being remotely located or rarely overlap in time.

Common ground must be established for success in both distance and same location teams. Those who are remote complain about the difficulty of establishing common ground. When connected by audio conferencing, it is very difficult to tell who is speaking if one does not know the participants well. Offhand reference to some local event (e.g., the Littleton shooting or the Tour de France) is understood by the locals but makes the remote people feel even more remote. People with video can engage in the subtle negotiation that establishes local common ground--whether what was said was understood or not, whether the conversation can proceed or needs repair. Broad shared knowledge is also important. (Olson & Olson, 2000)

Same location communications are more defined and the speed at which the team can operate is superior when compared to a distance team scenario. Team success relies on management of the team tasks and goals in both cases. Establishment of team member responsibilities and execution of individual tasks are equally relevant in any team concept.

Personality conflicts are often found in work teams. All different kinds of people make up a team, all with various views on issues. Understanding how each team member feels and looking at things from different perspectives can help relieve tension in the group. When people clash, team morale becomes an issue. When morale is low, so is productivity. Competition and rivalry can also affect the team. Groups may form within the group, thus straying away from the team concept.

Getting agreement among team members about how the group will proceed is imperative. And if problems arise between members that cannot be smoothed over during the meeting then one must meet with the team member(s) in conflict to mediate the disagreement. If the group leader is a party to the disagreement, he or she may have to get a neutral third party to mediate the differences. The key is to remain focused on the task at hand to ensure cooperation and ultimate success. (American Management Association [AMA], 1996)

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