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"Conflict itself is not a destructive force, but conflict left unaddressed is. Unaddressed conflicts create mistrust, suspicion, dishonesty, defensiveness, conspiracy, and barriers." (Roth p. 6) Conflict can be perceived as negative or positive. Viewing conflict as negative can produce inappropriate behavior or destroy the morale or pursuit of the team's mission, and the negativity can divert energy from important team activities and issues that require energy to resolve. When conflict is viewed as positive, it opens up discussion topics resulting in clarification. When teams are able to work through their conflict, it builds cohesiveness among team members and allows members to develop their conflict resolution skills. Among any team of more than one person, regardless of whether the conflict is viewed as positive or negative, conflict is inevitable. Understanding what causes conflict and how to resolve conflict is vital to the success of each individual in the team.
There are four stages of team development. The stages are referred to as Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. It is virtually impossible to skip the stages of team development. However, it is possible to spend less time working through one stage versus another depending on the feelings, behaviors, and commitment from each team member to surface and work through related issues. As we break down each stage, we need to focus on the feelings and behaviors that may be demonstrated by team members. The most common feelings and behaviors are shown below.
Feelings Behaviors
Forming Stage Ø Members have pride in being selected for the project or work group.Ø Members demonstrate anxiety about the assignment. Ø Attempts to define the task and decide how it will be completed.Ø Attempts to determine acceptable team behavior and how to deal with team problems.Ø Complaints surface about the organization and barriers to the task.
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Feelings Behaviors
Storming Stage Ø Resistance to the task begins to be visible.Ø Individuals are not comfortable with approaches suggested.Ø Sharp fluctuations in attitude about the team and the chance of overall success begin surfacing. Ø Team members begin to argue even when they agree on issues.Ø Defensiveness and choosing sides become evident.Ø Disunity, increased tension, and jealousy are perceived.
Norming Stage FeelingsØ Acceptance of membership in the team.Ø Relief that things are going to work out.Ø An ability to express varying opinions and criticism constructively. BehaviorsØ Members attempt to achieve harmony by avoiding conflict.Ø Friendliness is demonstrated, as well as confiding in others, sharing personal problems, and openly discussing team dynamics.
Feelings Behaviors
Performing Stage Ø Members have a better understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses.Ø Satisfaction at the team's progress. Ø An effective ability is developed to prevent or work through group or team problems.Ø Close attachment to the team.Ø Constructive self-change.
For purposes of our paper on conflict resolution, we will be focusing on two key areas of the team development stages storming and norming. It is within these two stages that we can develop techniques for resolving conflict, establishing team norms, and understanding how teams can become high performing by effectively addressing and working through storming and norming issues.
Before we begin to talk about what causes conflict and ways to resolve conflict, we must first define what conflict is. Conflict, according to Thomas, (Corporate Learning, 001) is "the process which begins when we perceive that someone has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affects, something we care about. The more deeply we care about something, the more intense the conflict."
What Causes Conflict?
Now that we have conflict defined, we now must determine the origin of conflict. Just as a surgeon would not begin operating until he knew where the sickness or injury stemmed from, teams cannot begin resolving conflict until they understand its roots. While the list we have provided below is fairly in-depth, it is not all-inclusive.
Poor communication skills
People typically communicate by three methods verbal, written, and visual. Many people lack the ability to communicate effectively. Poor communication skills, regardless of the form, translate into conflict when there should not be. One team member may be trying to get a point across but unintentionally offends, or perhaps confuses, the other team members. Often times team members may be agreeing on how to approach a particular problem, yet, because of poor communication skills, the team members involved conflict because one or both is not communicating effectively to the other. A truly effective communicator can understand what the other team member is trying to say without having them actually say it. The major deficiency in communication for most is not realizing it is a weakness. If all participants in a team make a concerted effort and can communicate openly and honestly without becoming defensive, the potential for success by the team is increased exponentially.
Different Views or Values
Conflict can arise from parties having different views or values. Whenever there is a team, there are as many perceptions of what is happening as there are individuals. The parties involved see the situation differently because they have all experienced life through different eyes. Perceptions are shaped by differing life experiences and by values learned from our family and those closest to us. This is why values and views are linked together when it comes to conflict. Most of the time, if there is a difference in values, there is a conflict.
No Clearly Defined Leader
With any team, you cannot have all Chiefs and no Indians. The reverse of that saying is also true. A team with no clearly defined leader is a difficult concept to fathom, as there would likely be no team, yet a group of individuals. Without establishing a leader, a group of individuals full of different ideas and strengths would find it difficult to successfully achieve any goals. There are many consequences involved when there is not a leader no direction, no one to guide the flow of work, and no sense of order. Without a leader, the individuals in the team may seek separate ways to solve the same problem and never come to any agreement. The team may never solve the problem at all. In absence of a leader, the team may also have problems with focus and lose understanding or sight of the goal. The most crippling problem of working leader-free is having multiple leaders. When there is no leader established, each person in the group, on some level, assumes a leadership role. This could cause a great deal of conflict among the team, and instead of working together, the team may become individual pockets of resistance. Leadership is important in the area of maintaining order within a group, whether at work, home, or extra-curricular activities. In order to achieve success, you must have someone to make the final call.
Being Closed-minded
Being closed-minded is a state of mind that can hinder the individual as well as the team. Closed-minded is to stay steadfast to your personal thoughts and beliefs without consideration of all the factors. Without any concern for the evidence or case before them, a closed-minded person has already decided on a course of action or lack of participation, and will not be moved. The unwillingness of one person to compromise by incorporating the input of the other team members can prove to be a deterrent in a team and lead to goals not being achieved. In a team environment, the art of brainstorming is a pillar of success. Having the ability to understand and discuss different ideas, as well as incorporate these ideas in to one workable solution, requires a great deal of openness on the part of each individual within the team. For this reason, closed-minded people are usually a stumbling block in the overall wellness of any team.
Inadequate Knowledge and Skills
Inadequate knowledge and skills can cause conflict and are a major problem when it comes to reaching a goal or certain level within a group. Most people would define knowledge as having a clear understanding of what to do in a given situation. By understanding the meaning of knowledge, it is easy to understand why knowledge is an integral part of success in any team environment. Skills are actually a category of knowledge, with the addition of dexterity or aptitude, and both are needed in order to contribute, with any value, to the vision of the team. The absence of either of the components in an individual can usually be masked by projecting a confident or knowing attitude, and may not be seen initially during conversation or the forming stage of the team. This well-hidden deficiency will reveal itself at the most inopportune times if there is not a sense of openness within the team. The embarrassment of not being prepared in crunch-time because of the lack of knowledge and skill within a team can be readily avoided by taking a poll of strengths and weaknesses, listening and responding to incorrect assumptions, and being open to give and take information and criticism that could correct your incorrect information or wrong-doings.
Techniques to Resolve Conflict
There are various means for resolving conflict. There are also techniques for dealing with difficult team members. Blake and Mouton (164) proposed a two-dimensional model based on concern for people and concern for classifying conflict-handling modes. Their methodology for classifying concern for people and the conflictive situation breaks down the techniques for resolution into five types Integrating, Dominating, Obligating, Avoiding, and Compromising.
Difficult team members are divided into six types the bully, the tantrum thrower, the thinker, the complainer, the negativist, and the know-it-all bulldozer. When dealing with the bully, team members should be assertive, but not combative. Members should not take the tantrum-thrower personally. Team members should be prepared when dealing with a straight-line analyst or the thinker. Problem-solving activities should quickly be put into motion when faced with a member of the team who constantly wants to complain about something. Looking at the glass half full when dealing with the negativist may divert the negativity and help the individual being pessimistic see the positive side of a situation. The know-it-all has to be praised, but success may be achieved when dealing with this difficult team member by focusing on a solution and asking open, probing questions to verify the accuracy of information shared by the bulldozer. The techniques for resolving conflict that we discuss next are similar to the roots of conflict in that the list provided below is not all-inclusive.
Setting Parameters and Norms
In order for a team to be successful in meeting their objectives and goals, establishing norms for working with each other and as a team should occur during the third team development stage. Examples of setting team parameters and norms should be agreed to by each team member and may include
Ø Arriving to meetings on time and being prepared for all assignments.
Ø Avoiding any side conversations.
Ø Agreement to maintain confidential discussions within the team.
Ø Put issues on the table prior to adjourning the meeting to avoid building frustrations after the meeting adjourns.
Ø Every member must participate.
Ø Team members accept accountability for encouraging participation from others or seeking other views.
Ø Clarify agreements and next steps.
Ø Be positive by remaining on the issue not the emotions surrounding an issue.
Active Listening
There are many strategies that can be practiced to assist team members in effectively resolving conflict. The following listening tips may improve your skills
Ø Pay attention.
Ø Remove any negative thoughts and feelings about the team member and be receptive to the messages he or she is providing.
Ø Begin listening from the very first sentence. Do not allow yourself to be preoccupied during interaction with team members.
Ø Do not allow your opinion of that person to interfere with the objective for the conversation or team meeting.
Ø Analyze what is being said. Do not try to anticipate what might be said. You should pay attention to exactly what the individual is saying without wandering off or thinking about your immediate response.
Ø While your silence may cause you to appear to be listening, you may interject your feedback or seek clarification to what is being said to confirm your listening skills.
Ø Never interrupt or carry on side conversations during team meetings. Interrupting is rude.
Ø When you ask questions, reinforce the fact that you are truly listening and waiting for your turn to speak.
Ø Take notes if you feel that such discussion points require necessary action.
Ø Get your whole body into listening and showing that you are paying attention. Look the person squarely in the eyes and use facial expressions. These behaviors reinforce positive non-verbal skills.
Ø Do not overreact to highly charged words, tones, or emotions. Your calmness is likely to rub off on your team member, creating a conversation environment that is stress-free.
Soliciting Involvement of Team Members
In order to involve team members in resolving conflict and utilizing the techniques for resolving conflict, it may be necessary to develop an individual contract or team charter to achieve a win-win solution for each member and individuals on the team to attain the objectives and the goals established for the team. An individual team member's charter may require answers to the following questions
Ø How will I work to achieve the goal?
Ø What first steps will I take?
Ø What target date do I need to establish in order to reach the goal?
Ø How often will I review my progress against this contract?
Persuasion
Regardless of one's skill, or lack thereof, in other methods used to resolve conflict, if one party has well-developed persuasion skills, and the other does not, the persuasive party can usually win over the other side. Persuasion, as defined by Colman (001), is "the process by which attitude change is brought about, usually by the presentation of a message containing arguments in favour or against the person, object, or issue to which the attitude applies." Persuasion is commonly used in many sales positions. An effective salesperson must learn the features and benefits of his or her particular product. Salespeople must also learn rebuttals for any objection the consumer may have. An example of this can be found in almost any sales process, but we will illustrate one here that involves the sale of credit life insurance when making a loan. The loan officer wants the consumer to take the credit life insurance, as its sale means more profit to the company, while the consumer does not want to pay extra money for the coverage. The consumer may object by saying he or she has plenty of life insurance. The salesman may reply by telling the consumer that when the consumer purchased his or her life insurance, the loan they are taking now was not given any consideration, as the customer did not have this loan at the time. The salesman may also add that the cost of the coverage only adds a couple dollars to the customer's monthly payment and any unused portion of the premium would be refunded in the event of early payout of the loan. At this point, the customer may or may not take the insurance.
Negotiation
If persuasion does not work to resolve the conflict, then negotiation may be employed as the next technique used to bring the encounter to a resolve. Simply put, negotiation is the art of give-and-take, where the parties attempt to compromise. One party may give in to one part of the conflict in exchange for the other party making a similar gesture. Here is an illustration of negotiation using the same scenario from the previous paragraph. The customer still does not want the credit insurance after the loan officer has used all rebuttals in his or her repertoire. The salesperson then decides to offer the customer a preferred rate in exchange for the customer accepting the insurance. If done properly, negotiation could create a win-win situation for both parties involved. The salesman has sold something, even though its not what was originally on the table, and the consumer gets the same product at a discounted rate. Both parties could end up walking away from the table happy.
Mediation
Mediation is generally the last technique engaged to help resolve conflict. Mediation is a part of decision-making that is useful in specific situations, where the conflict is an issue that has not come to resolve after exhausting the other techniques. Mediation helps to clarify the problem and helps to find a path towards a resolution. The mediator, usually a non-biased third party, reduces tension and anxiety among the parties and levels the playing field. The mediator first explains the process of mediation, his or her role in the mediation, and then answers any questions by either party. The mediator meets with both parties individually and then meets with both parties together. After all steps have been covered, the mediator formulates an agreement that will be accepted by both parties. Mediation is a structured but informal process that does not preclude any other dispute resolution.
Conclusion
When developing a formal working team, strengths and weaknesses need to be openly discussed. Goals for the formal team need to be established and agreed upon by each member. Norms or ground rules for working with each other are critical to the overall team effectiveness. Team members also need to identify how they are going to work through conflict management. It is almost impossible for a team to work effectively together and meet the objectives and goals without facing conflict. We are human beings and conflict can be perceived as negative or positive. When teams are able to work through their conflict, it builds cohesiveness among team members and allows members to develop their problem-solving, conflict resolution and decision-making skills.
References
Blake, R. and Mouton, J. (164), The Managerial Grid, Houston, TX. Gulf. p. .
Colman, Andrew M. persuasion n. A Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford
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Corporate Learning and Development Department at Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Florida. (001), Conflict Resolution Training Module, p. 6.
Cottringer, William, PH.D., SuperVision, pp. -.
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triangle', Rural Telecommunications. pp. -4.
Roth, Sandy. (Sep 001). Dental Economics. Vol. 1, Iss ; pp. 6-8
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