Five Steps to Effectively manage Team conflict

Teams often avoid conflict, fearing that it will disrupt the interpersonal relationships of team members and lead to poorer results. However, some disagreement is necessary, even useful to team outcomes. "Passionate, unfiltered debate colse to issues of significance to the team" is requisite to maximize team effectiveness (Lencioni, 2005, p. 37). In fact, one of the major advantages of cross-functional teams is the diversity of experts that come together to address a problem. In such a setting "we expect and want these differences to surface, because, in the end, we expect a better outcome to result" (Parker, 2003, p. 171). However, too much disagreement can derail teams.

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To gain the benefits of functional diversity that cross functional teams afford, and minimize debilitating conflict, I suggest the following five step process:

Teams should complete a Myers Briggs (Mbti) or other personality profiling instrument for each team member. Many of these tools provide both personel and team profiles. A meeting can then be dedicated to examine each team member's and the team profiles. This allows team members to learn more about what motivates each individual, what their needs are, what they are uncomfortable with, etc... This builds more trust and understanding between team members and may provide understanding into how each team member approaches conflict. Teams should also take a disagreement style examine such as the Thomas-Kilmann examine which determines how each team member approaches conflict. "The Thomas-Kilmann Model describes five distinct approaches to disagreement agreeing to how people think about the significance of a task versus the significance of their association with people they work with" (p. 131). Individuals may be described as; Authoritative/Competitive; question Solving; Compromising; Avoiding; or Smoothing. An understanding of each other's disagreement style helps team members identify behaviors that may impair or impede sufficient teamwork. Based on the understanding acquired from personality and disagreement profiles, team norms should be set to settle in develop how they will conduct conflict. For example, if the team recognizes that more authoritative/competitive individuals may dominate discussions they will identify the need to build norms that increase involvement by those who may have an avoiding style. Once norms are set, teams should brainstorm any possible obstacles which may interfere with open and sufficient discussions. They should agree on which obstacles threaten to derail the team and plan how to overcome these obstacles in advance. Teams that identify possible obstacles will be less likely to come to be distracted by them when they occur. If unavoidable conflicts have derailed discussions in the past, or if the team faces a new conflict, the team needs to address these issues. Too often, teams are reluctant to address these issues because they may fear the damage such a seminar has on the interpersonal relations of the team. Damage to interpersonal relationships can be avoided if team members a four step process for managing disagreement assertively. This process entails:

Name the conflict, problem, emotion or situation that is causing the problem. In doing so, team members should not assault each other personally.. Rather they should "Wacem" (Pachter and Magee 2000, p. 66). "Wacem" stands for:

W = What. Tell the personel or team what the issue is without attacking personally.

A = Ask. Ask the personel or team what you would like the personel or team to change or do differently

C = Check-in. Ask the other personel or team what they think about the request.

As the team discusses the request, they should examine what the possible consequences of the question may have on the team, the project, the clients, the results, etc...

Reach business agreement on how to overcome the problem. examine the unavoidable outcomes that may occur by overcoming the issue or obstacle.

References:

Lencioni, P. (2005). Overcoming the five dysfunctions of a team: A field guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Pachter, B. And Magee, S. (2000). The power of unavoidable confrontation: The skills you need to know to deal with conflicts at work, at home, and in life. New York: Marlowe and Company.

Parker, G. M. (2002). Cross-functional teams: Working with allies, enemies, and other strangers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Stowell, S.J. And Starcevich, M.M. (1998). The coach: Creating partnerships for a contentious edge. Salt Lake City, Utah: (Cmoe Press).

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