Conflict resolution How to avoid (or deflate) conflict in the team

Conflict is good and bad Conflict can Help a team to clarify goals and aims create better ideas and decisions But can also Hamper team effort Lead to lower productivity Basically does not help!

Game Theory Game Theory is one approach to solving conflict It uses the concept of “payoff” Everyone playing a game wants some sort of “pay off” or reward for their effort e.g. –Recognition of effort –Financial reward for effort –Getting it out of the way

Typical scenarios Person 1 loses Person 1 wins Person 2 wins “giving in” or AcquiescenceCollaborationProductivity Person 2 loses Withdrawal blockading or Sabotage AggressivenessDomineering Compromise

Types of Game Competitive –For you to get your pay off some else must lose e.g. Game of golf Co-operative –For you to get your pay off other members must also receive reward e.g. football game Can happen in parallel (think of a relay team)

Problems Problems occur when –You play a competitive game co-operatively One on one computer games –you play a co-operative game competitively Think of a “greedy” striker in football Most team work is co-operative There are reasons why co-operative or collaborative games are lost…..

Problems 2 each party makes assumptions or does not understand the other parties position Where everyone knows what the win positions are, the parties denigrate each others' win positions –One party tries to convince the other that their expectations are unrealistic 2 four year olds saying “That’s just silly” Where the win positions are mutually agreed and accepted, each party focuses on the problems and/or apparent differences instead of trying to work together to come up with solutions Where the win positions are mutually agreed and accepted, each party focuses on the problems and/or apparent differences instead of trying to work together to come up with solutions

Overcoming conflict There are methods to overcome conflict –Clarify the conflict or problematic decision –Find out the win position of the other party Listen, declare your win position and accepting other parties win positions Communicates everyone's positions and stops incorrect perception –Brainstorm ideas for a mutual win situation –Evaluate the ideas to see which is most suitable

If that does not work then… Prepare to compromise –State what ways you would be prepared to compromise –Ask other parties to declare their compromise position Re-evaluate the solutions you have created to see if they can match the new compromise positions

If that does not work then…(2) Refer to a third party –Someone else in your organisation Usually a manager but does not have to be Beware If you get to this stage you can end up with one or both parties losing

And finally Once you have dealt with the conflict –Communicate the resolution to everyone –Communicate the reasons for the chosen solution –Put it behind you and don’t gloat! Remember peoples memories of these situations tends to be subjective (if you want an example ask an England fan and an Irish Fan about the try on Saturday)

Further reading Conflict Resolution: Mediation Tools for Everyday Worklife by Daniel Dana –(try Ch 6) ( a good brief guide) The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice by Morton Deutsch –a good in depth book on a large range of conflict types Harvard Business Review On Negotiation and Conflict Resolution –Try the “The Team That Wasn't “ chapter All available on netlibrary