Tools for Team Leadership: Delivering the X-Factor in Team eXcellence

There are many reasons why conflict exists on teams and in organizations. Conflict is natural and even has some potential positive side effects. However, conflict can also tear a team apart. The purpose of this chapter was to prepare you to help teams help themselves through times of conflict to accomplish the following outcomes :

• Higher-quality, more realistic solutions to complex problems

• Higher-quality, more realistic relationships

• Reduced stress levels

• Enhanced belief in the team approach

  Guidelines were provided to produce more constructive resolution of conflicts through the following actions:

• Recognizing that conflict is inevitable and noticing when it occurs

• Assessing the relative importance of the issue and the relationships involved

• Using the approach that matches the assessment

• If the issue is to be confronted, doing so in a manner that reduces the need for defensiveness

• Being sure all parties agree on what the issue is

• Separating value differences from the tangible effects of the conflict

• Separating opinions from facts

• Using active listening skills

• Treating the conflict as a problem and applying a systematic approach to solving the problem

• Focusing on the issues, not the personalities; that is, on what the issue is, not who is right or wrong

• Avoiding stating a position regarding the outcomefocusing instead on the interests of the parties

• As interests may be shared, opposed, or just different, attempting to focus on the shared interests

• Summarizing agreed-upon solutions to verify the conclusion of the discussion

• Discussing what was learned about the subject matter and the team after the conclusion

  Your role as team leader should probably not include being the judge who settles conflicts between team members . Your role is to serve as a facilitator, mediator, consultant, or trainer. Your responsibilities might include

• Recognizing conflict when it occurs

• Modeling constructive conflict resolution behaviors, especially listening skills

• Summarizing the resolution once it is achieved

• Helping the group learn from the conflict

  Finally, you need some strategies to help people deal with conflict. Determine which of the following you are now prepared to use:

• Avoiding

• Accommodating

• Competing

• Compromising

• Collaborating

• Negotiating a behavioral contract

• Using the seven-step approach to dealing with difficult people