Project team conflict can be healthy because it tends to strengthen the team after it is resolved. Conflict forces people to confront a situation, identify causes, and look for solutions. Understanding the nature of conflict and how to resolve it is just another tool that should be in every project manager’s toolbox.
Nature of Conflict
The BussinessDictionary.com defines conflict to be, “Friction or opposition resulting from actual or perceived differences or incompatibilities.” In other words, conflict is a disagreement where the parties involved perceive some threat to their needs, interests, or concerns resulting from:
• Varied perspectives on the situation
• Differing belief systems and/or values
• Differing interests and/or objectives
As a result, conflict arises when one or more parties view the current system or situation as “not working” and seeks to impose their needs, interests, or concerns on the other parties. Unresolved conflict between project team members can result in undesirable consequences and/or project failure.
Benefits of Conflict
When finally resolved, conflict results in a new condition that enables the team to do things differently in the future. Benefits of conflict include:
• Better ideas
• The team is forced to search for new approaches or solutions
• Team members are forced to clarify views or positions
• Tension stimulates interest and creativity
• Long standing problems are surfaced and dealt with
Dealing with Conflict
Conflicts and disputes are a natural part of human behavior and should not be considered undesirable or a sign of failure. The project manager is responsible to identify and resolve conflict between team members on his or her project.
Conflict resolution requires active listening. Each party wants their perspective to be heard and will not be satisfied until they have expressed what it is that they want and why.
When all sides have been heard, the project manager should begin by seeking out common ground between the participants. Here are some hints:
• Maintain self esteem and respect everyone’s perspective
• Avoid taking rigid positions
• Seek common ground when possible
• Collaborate
• Listen. Paraphrase if needed to confirm understanding
3 Step Conflict Solver
Peaceful conflict resolution requires the parties to voluntarily come together, work cooperatively, and may require a trained facilitator to guide the process. There are three fundamental steps to solving a conflict:
1. Define the Problem
Meet in a private location and gather information about the conflict. Allow both sides to express their issues, concerns, or positions. Identify and focus on the key issues. Focus on the problem, not the people.
2. Find Common Ground
Brainstorm to find common ground. Keep an open mind and identify potential solutions. Evaluate the advantages/disadvantages, cost/benefit, or pros/cons for each one.
3. Select a Solution
Select and agree on a possible solution or combination of those suggested. Implement and evaluate the outcome. Be flexible and willing to make adjustments if necessary to improve on the solution
10 Conflict Resolution Strategies
1. Avoidance: it is possible to avoid conflict without resolving the underlying dispute. The parties may agree to disagree and that no further action is required
2. Compromise: involves working out a middle ground that satisfies all parties to some degree. This can be called the win win approach.
3. Confrontation: this approach focuses on identifying the underlying problem and choosing solutions that allows the involved parties to work through the disagreement.
4. Smoothing: de emphasizes the differences between the points of view and focuses on commonalities
5. Withdrawal: involves avoiding or retreating from the conflict or potential conflict and allows the involved parties to work out the conflict on their own
6. Force: requires one of the parties to yield to the point of view of another. It is called the win lose approach and can increase conflict
7. Conciliation: intervention by a third party who has no power to compel the opposing parties to reach an agreement. Relies on persuasion
8. Mediation: an informal, but structured negotiation with an independent and neutral third party, the mediator, facilitating the process
9. Arbitration: a neutral third party directs the negotiation process and renders a fair solution to the conflict. It is similar to a court proceeding and results in a binding arbitration award. Usually a private proceeding and the results are not public
10. Litigation: the justice system is engaged to render a solution to the conflict. The result is binding and enforced by law
Author Resource:
Ray Myers, Jr. is a PMP certified project manager with over 20 years experience planning and managing technology projects. Contact Ray at http://www.pmservicesnw.com Article Source: http://www.pmservicesnw.com/2009/08/project-team-conflict
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