Resolving Team Conflict

In This Issue

Recommended Reading

"Team Building: Proven Strategies for Improving Team Performance" ~ Williams G Dyer

"TNT: Dynamic Ideas to Reward, Energize and Motivate Your Teams" ~ Gregory P Smith

"Team Rewards: 20 Real Life Lessons" ~ Glenn Parker

"Building Conflict Competent Teams" ~ Craig Runde and Tim Flanagan

"Divide or Conquer: How Great Teams Turn Conflict into Strength" ~ Diana McLain Smith

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Greetings!

In today's world of management, leaders are challenged to manage their employees not as a group of individuals but as cohesive teams. Whereas management was always about getting results through managing others, now we have a group of people who inevitably have different viewpoints and different work styles, strengths, weaknesses, and needs for rewards. While individual empowerment has been an over-utilized buzz word, how can you build a stronger team by having them face their differences and resolving conflict? How often do you reinforce your team's collaboration by rewarding your team and recognizing their efforts? This is what we will discuss today.

Resolving Team Conflict

Healthy constructive conflict is a component of high functioning teams. When people with varying viewpoints, experiences, skills and opinions are tasked with a project or challenge, the combined effort can far surpass what any group of similar individuals could achieve. Understanding and appreciating the various viewpoints involved in conflict are key factors in its resolution. These are key skills for all team members to develop. The important thing is to maintain a healthy balance of constructive differences of opinion, and avoid negative conflict that's destructive and disruptive. These are key skills for all team members to develop

Step 1: Preparation for resolution

Acknowledge the conflict - The conflict has to be acknowledged before it can managed and resolved. The tendency is for people to ignore the first signs of conflict and the healthy debate that teams can thrive on won't occur. Once the team recognizes the issue, it can start the process of resolution.

Discuss the impact - As a team, discuss the impact the conflict is having on team dynamics and performance

Agree to a cooperative process - Everyone involved must agree to cooperate to resolve the conflict. If someone wants to win more than he or she wants to resolve the conflict, you may find yourself at a stalemate.

Agree to communicate - The most important thing throughout the resolution process is for everyone to keep communications open and practice active listening

Step 2. Understand the Situation

Clarify positions - It is important to understand the situation, and hear each team member's point of view. Strong emotions are at work here so you have to get through the emotion and reveal the real nature of the conflict.

EG: Sally and Tom believe the best way to market the new product is through a TV campaign. Mary and Beth are adamant that internet advertising is the way to go, whilst Josh supports a strong-lead campaign.

List facts and assumptions and beliefs underlying each position - What do they value? What information are they using as a basis for these beliefs? What decision -making criteria and processes have they employed.

Analyze in smaller groups - Break the team into smaller groups, separating people who are in alliance. Analyze, and dissect each position, and the associated facts, assumptions and beliefs.

Convene back as a team - After the group dialogue, each side is likely to be much closer to reaching agreement

Step 3. Agreement

Now the team must decide what decisions or course of action to take. With the facts and assumptions considered, it is easier to see the best action and reach an agreement. If the team is still unable to reach an agreement, you may need to use other techniques to move ahead.

When conflict is resolved, take time to celebrate and acknowledge the contribution made toward reaching a solution. This can build team cohesion and confidence in their problem solving skills, and can help avert further conflict.

Rewarding Your Team - Learning Why "Thank You" is so Vital

Imagine this scenario: One of your team members has saved the company a significant amount of money with a process she spent weeks creating. It's right before the holidays and you decide to make a big deal of rewarding her with a turkey that she and her family can enjoy. You reward her efforts, and she seems to be happy about the recognition. But is she? You didn't take the time to learn that she is a vegetarian. You didn't consider that she commutes to the office one hour by train - so by the time she gets that frozen turkey home to give away to friends, it will be a drippy, soggy mess. We often hear from business experts about how important it is to reward your team. But it's equally important to take the time to find out how your team would like to be recognized. Sometimes what they'd really like is a sincere "thank you" or a day off to spend with their families.

Learning how your team would like to be recognized, and how you can show your appreciation is a vital step toward making sure that your efforts will be appropriate. So particularly at this time of the year we are offering some "Thank You Tips"

Be consistent. If you praise often during one month, and then skip the next month entirely, your team will wonder what's going on. Creating a culture of recognition and reward is important - make sure you continue.

Be specific. Every time you praise your team, be specific about what they did to deserve the recognition. If you say, "Jim did a great job yesterday!" that's not only vague but it may cause jealousy from other team members. Being specific not only makes the person you recognize feel better, it also lets the whole team know that you're paying attention.

Know your people. You must know your team to reward them adequately. Are they a music fan or a sports fan - getting to know their interests is critical. If you don't know, ask them.

Make the reward relevant. Your gift or gesture should be relevant to your team member's effort. If someone comes in early for a week to make sure a project is completed on time, then a gift certificate for a great breakfast would be a good fit. If however, the team member just saved the company from a mistake that would have cost millions, then something more significant is needed!

Leaders need to say "thank you" regularly. Your team members will likely work much harder if they feel that what they're doing really makes a difference, and that their efforts are noticed by those with "power."

If you would like to have Bev present to your group or organization, contact 410.583.1847

Sincerely,

Bev Rosen, MSW, MBA
WorkWonders

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