CHAPTER 7 By ADELANI WAHAB MGMT 660 CSUSB MANAGING CONFLICT CHAPTER 7 By ADELANI WAHAB MGMT 660 CSUSB

MANAGING CONFLICT CONT’D Conflict are a natural part of the team process Managing conflict can be done through Outside assistance help in mediation Arbitration Developing a solution require Open communication Respect for the other side Creative search for mutually satisfying alternatives

MANAGING CONFLICT CONT’D Abilene Paradox Part of a desire to avoid controversy Team members accept what the leader says in order to avoid conflict Leads to poor decision making During the initial stage of team coming together there is little conflict because members are still trying to understand everyone’s position. Forming→ Storming→ Norming→ Performing→ Adjourning

SOURCES OF CONFLICT Confusion about people’s positions Personalities Differences of opinion Hidden agendas Poor norms Competitive reward systems Poorly managed meetings

TYPES OF CONFLICT HEALTHY CONFLICT Focused on task issues Legitimate difference of opinion about the task Different expectation about the impact of decisions Differences in values and perspectives

TYPES OF CONFLICT CONT’D UNHEALTHY CONFLICT Competitive over power, rewards and resources Conflict between individual and group goals Poorly run team meetings Personal grudge from the past Faulty communication

Example of healthy conflict Legitimate conflict Differences in values and objectives of team members. Differing beliefs about the motives and actions of others. Different expectations about the results of the decisions can lead to conflicts on what the team should do.

Example of unhealthy conflict Hidden conflict – It may spring from organizational, social and personal sources Organizational causes of conflict includes Competition over scarce resources Ambiguity over responsibilities Status differences among team members Competitive reward system Hidden agenda’s are a part of hidden conflict and can be difficult to identify and resolve.

IMPACT OF CONFLICT It may be positive and negative on the team Positive impact- Helps the team operate better by exploring issues more fully. Negative impact- Leads to emotional problems that damage communication

BENEFITS OF CONFLICT Teams are organized so as to gain benefits of multiple perspectives, so they learn from one another in the process of resolving conflict/ their differences. Encourages team to explore new approaches. Motivate people to understand issues better. Encourages new ideas.

BENEFITS OF CONFLICT Learn from one another in the process of resolving conflict or their differences. Encourages team to explore new approaches. Motivate people to understand issues better Encourages new ideas.

PROBLEMS WITH CONFLICT Creates strong negative emotions and stress. Interferes with communication and coordination. Diverts attention from task and goals. Can destroy cohesion and damage social relation. Create winners and losers to become source of conflict in future

PROBLEMS WITH CONFLICT CONT’D Disrupt performance and reduces satisfaction because it creates stress and negative feelings. NB: Trust can affect relationship between task conflict and performance. Teams with high level of trust can tolerate task-related conflict and use the conflict productively.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION APPROACHES Conflict can be resolved using the following 2 dimensions namely: Distribution- Concerns one’s own outcome Integration- Concerns the outcomes of others The 2 dimensions are independent and leads to creation of 5 different approaches to conflict resolution

CONFLICT RESOLUTION APPROACHES CONT’D Avoidance- To ignore the issues or deny there is a problem. Accommodation- Some team members may give up their position to be agreeable but can cost the team the value of their opinion/idea. Confrontations- Acting aggressively and trying to win is one way to deal with conflict. Winning becomes more important than making good decision.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION APPROACHES CONT’D 4. Compromise- Balancing the goals of each participant and the relationship among the team is for everyone to “give in” a little. 5. Collaboration- When both sides of a conflict have important concerns the team needs to resolve issues for safety of everyone.

OUTSIDE HELP Negotiation- Process in which 2 sides engage in a dispute exchange offers and counteroffers in an effort to find a mutually acceptable agreement. Leads to a win-win perspective and win-lose perspective. Mediation- The intervener (3rd party) does not have the authority to impose a solution but acts as a facilitator.

OUTSIDE HELP CONT’D Arbitrator- The intervener (3rd party) may impose a solution, act as a judge.

MANAGING TEAM CONFLICT Separate the people from the problem. Focus on shared interest of all parties. Dev. many options used to solve the problem. Evaluate the options using objectives criteria. Try again

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