Conflict Resolution in Teams

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Conflict and Resolution in Teams


Kevin Murray


Charles M. Ornouski


Write my paper for me!!!


Iryna Tsyvova


General 00


Ms. Muhammad


September 8, 00





Conflict and Resolution in Teams


For many companies the team concept is a relatively new form of managing the bottom line and day-to-day operations. In the past, a manager, foreman or supervisor set policy and provided guidance to their workers. Today, more and more businesses are using the team concept to set goals, deadlines, and produce results. A study by Professors Joseph J. DeStefano of the University of Western Ontario and Martha L. Maznevski of the University of Virginia suggest that diversity in and of itself is not responsible for how well team members work together. What matters, they suggest, is whether a team achieves integration (Harvard Business Review, May/June 16). But what happens when the team struggles from too much diversity or conflict, or members of the team are afraid of expressing their ideas for fear of embarrassment?


When organizations fundamentally change the way they operate, shifts in power and conflicts of interest are not only likely � they are inevitable. Unresolved conflict costs the business world millions of dollars each year. I am referring to widespread symptoms of “us versus them” that appear in companies going through rapid change (People Management, August 001). In theory, conflict is neither good nor bad. However, it becomes a concern when people argue, brood, or fight over seemingly trivial matters.


But what is conflict? Boulding (16) defines conflict as, “a situation of competition in which the parties are aware of the incompatibility of potential future positions” (Supervision, November 1). Just like in life, not all members of the team will get along, or function as a cohesive unit on specific topics, discussions or issues. Morality, upbringing, social background, education, and experiences shape our very being as we grow and mature. Conflict in teams can be attributed to the values, attitudes, needs, expectations, perceptions, resources, and personalities of the team members. Personality clashes, unmet expectations, and uncooperative coworkers are among the primary causes of interpersonal conflict in the workplace (Business Journal, 000). Additional information needed to facilitate the existing process of conflict and conflict resolution is to take a look at the individual personality of each member of the team.


Basically there are two types of conflicts that stem from two root causes personalities and issues (SuperVision, Van Auken, 1). The “hot” type, sometimes referred to as “Type A”, or affective conflict, is rooted in anger, personal friction, personality clashes, ego and tension. The “cool” type, “Type C” or cognitive conflict, uses argumentation to achieve merit and stimulate creativity, and attempts to find a common ground for all team members (Tools for Teams, Thompson, Aranda, Robbins 17). Studies have proven that a Type C conflict tends to be better for positive resolution than a Type A conflict.


In a C-type conflict, team members know that it is important to stay focused on the outcome of the task they are faced with while continually evaluating and settling differences as they occur. The team members accept honest, creative and open discussions. They are not quick to judge and try to acknowledge other valid points of view. Striving for the best solution, team members look at situations and problems from different angles and perceptions.


The A-type conflict does just the opposite. It decreases the team’s effectiveness by introducing a personalized nature to the conflict. Egos, power struggles, personal agendas and tension are some of the symptoms that occur during this type of conflict. Team dynamics, productivity and commitment to the cause all suffer. There can even be long-lasting affects between team members because of the personalized nature of this conflict. Confrontation during the day-to-day operations, future team meetings, or even people leaving the company, can be some of the results of this type of conflict.


Letting the conflict escalate is the worst way to deal with it. Some of the guidelines for containing A-type conflict could be


a) Concentrate on the mission at hand and forget past grudges.


b) Stress the “us” and “we” over the “me” and “I”.


c) Speak about the future and not the present or past.


d) Change the “I think” for “I sense” or “I feel”.


e) Get the team to focus more on the goal rather than the past.


f) Encourage the accomplishments of the future rather than the past failures


C-type conflicts can be given direction with guidance such as


a) Clarify goals to ease the discussion on conflict issues.


b) Give team members the time to say what they have to say.


c) Encourage experiments with different ideas before rejecting them.


d) Have team members bring supportive facts to the table instead of generalities.


e) Assist the team to see the big picture.


We should make conflict work for us. Knowing that conflict exists in the workplace, and it is bound to happen, learning to deal with it productively will make it easier to manage and digest. The role of conflict in work teams is determined by the manner in which it is managed. Conflict is a driving force of change (McDaniel et al., 18). When managed correctly, conflict produces the following results new ideas for changing organizational processes, solving of continuous problems, a chance for workers to expand their capabilities, and the introduction of creativity into thoughts about organizational problems (Bowditch & Buono, 17). Studies have found that when diversity causes a team to fail, the problems can be overcome with very little specialized training. The key issue in dealing with team conflict is for the team to realize that the focus is not on conflict itself, but on how it is managed.


The idea behind managing conflict is not to reduce conflict, but to handle it in a constructive manner (Rayeski & Bryant, 14). Teams must learn to be confrontational without destroying the team process. Research indicates that high performing teams are capable of mediating their own conflicts while improving productivity and strengthening relationships (McDaniel et al., 18). The following steps should assist team members in efficient conflict resolution.


Exploration of causes for the disagreement should be the first step towards the conflict resolution. A lot of team conflicts are embraced with strong emotions of people involved. It is important not to proceed with any resolutions until the emotions are considered. Personal emotions can be a serious diversion from effective communication between people. The participants involved in a disagreement should feel more comfortable discussing emotions after they have decreased. Everyone involved in a discussion has to be extra careful because this is still a sensitive time for the emotions to return to the surface.


Another important aspect of exploring a conflict is the willingness to listen and discuss. Team members must attempt to focus on the speaker’s words and messages until he finishes speaking. Only then should they analyze what has been said and formulate a response. This way it is possible to grasp the perspectives of others on the issue or task. Having people paraphrase each other’s ideas could help in understanding the others’ prospects. If all the people involved go down the path of criticism, it is impossible to stay open and flexible to the others’ outlooks.


After the reasons for the disagreement have been identified, it is feasible to move on to the determination of possible solutions. It is important, at this stage, that all parties involved in a disagreement have an opportunity to express their ideas for alternative solutions. Sufficient time should be given to each participant to express his views. There should be no picking and choosing of solutions at this time. Instead, all approaches should be considered.


The next step of the process is to determine the most suitable solution. The best procedure is to examine all of the proposed solutions and select the solution that is the most appropriate. Negotiation methods may be introduced in this stage. Therefore, each of the participants will have “a chance to modify their positions and move toward another solution which seems more practical for the situation” (Capozzoli, 15). A possible alternative to finding the right solution is to present the case to someone neutral to the disagreement, outside of the team, if the search for the solution cannot be settled effectively at this point.


It is only logical to implement the solution after it has been found. It is critical for all involved to accept the procedures for the solution implementation. The procedures may be, but not limited to time frames and deadlines, and each participants’ responsibilities. The chosen solution should be assessed after application. If the solution is not successful, it should be reconsidered.


Conflict can cause lost time, resources, and efficiency in any work team. But when managed well, conflict can result in new ideas, more informed decision-making, and better performance. Managing conflict effectively requires skill, knowledge, and experience. These days every organization must train its employees to effectively manage conflict and resolve issues that block performance.


Although many people and organizations view conflict as an activity that is usually negative and should be avoided, conflict is a natural result of people working together. Without conflict, complacency in teams can occur and the development of the team and/ or the team member can be seriously impeded (Supervision, November 1).





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