Dealing Effectively with Conflict in Teams

Conflict is a common occurrence in teams. Conflict itself can be defined as antagonistic interactions in which one party tries to block the actions or decisions of another party. Bringing conflicts out into the open where they can be resolved is an important part of the team leader’s or manager’s job.

There are two basic types of team conflict: substantive (sometimes called task) and emotional (or relationship).

Substantive conflicts arise over things such as goals, tasks, and the allocation of resources. When deciding how to track a project, for example, a software engineer may want to use a certain software program for its user interface and customization capabilities. The project manager may want to use a different program because it produces more detailed reports. Conflict will arise if neither party is willing to give way or compromise on his position.

Emotional conflicts arise from things such as jealousy, insecurity, annoyance, envy, or personality conflicts. It is emotional conflict when two people always seem to find themselves holding opposing viewpoints and have a hard time hiding their personal animosity. Different working styles are also a common cause of emotional conflicts. Julia needs peace and quiet to concentrate, but her office mate swears that playing music stimulates his creativity. Both end up being frustrated if they can’t reach a workable resolution.

Conflict Can Be Beneficial

Not all conflict is negative. Just as some forms of stress can be beneficial, so can some types of conflict. Eustress is a positive reaction to stress that generates a desire to achieve and overcome challenges. For instance, some people find that they produce their best work when a deadline is looming and the pressure to produce gets the adrenaline flowing. Team conflicts can also produce positive results when the conflict centers on substantive issues. Conflict can spark new ideas and generate creativity.

On the other hand, when people feel they cannot disagree or offer different opinions, new ideas cannot emerge. Groupthink is the mindset that develops when people put too much value on team consensus and harmony. It is common when individuals are afraid to go against what most group members—especially dominant members—think. Some degree of conflict helps teams avoid groupthink and forces the group to make choices based on rational decision making.

If there is too much cooperation, the best ideas may never get shared and team effectiveness is sacrificed for the sake of efficiency. For the same reasons that diversity bestows benefits on a workforce, a mix of ideas and opinions improves team performance and decision making. If there is too much conflict, however, then nothing can get done. Employees on the team become less satisfied and motivated and may turn to social loafing or may even work against other members out of sheer frustration.

Common Causes of Conflict

Some common causes of negative conflict in teams are identified as follows:

Conflict often arises when team members focus on personal (emotional) issues rather than work (substantive) issues. Enrico is attending night school to get his degree, but he comes to work late and spends time doing research instead of focusing on the job. The other team members have to pick up his slack. They can confront Enrico and demand his full participation, they can ignore him while tensions continue to grow, or they can complain to the manager. All the options will lower team performance.

Competition over resources, such as information, money, supplies or access to technology, can also cause conflict. Maria is supposed to have use of the laboratory in the afternoons, but Jason regularly overstays his allotted time, and Maria’s work suffers. Maria might try to “get even” by denying Jason something he needs, such as information, or by complaining to other team members.

Communication breakdowns cause conflict, and misunderstandings are exacerbated in virtual teams and teams with cross-cultural members. The project manager should be precise in his expectations from all team members and be easily accessible. When members work independently, it is critical that they understand how their contributions affect the big picture in order to stay motivated. Carl couldn’t understand why Latisha was angry with him when he was late with his reports; he didn’t report to her. He didn’t realize that she needed his data to complete her assignments. She eventually quit, and the team lost a good worker.

Team morale can be low because of external work conditions such as rumours of downsizing or fears that the competition is beating them to market. A manager needs to understand what external conditions are influencing team performance.

Resolving Conflict in Work Teams

The goal of the team manager should be to get your team to a place where they can openly discuss differing views without it resulting in a shouting match or hurt feelings. Use the following guidelines to solve conflict in the workplace.

Be aware that conflict occurs and set ground rules in advance - Knowing that conflict may and will occur is the first step to resolving it, especially if you know that certain team members may disagree with each other. As a team you should so all know what process will be taken to address conflicts, as they are bound to rise and will need to be taken care of before they spiral out of control. Tell team members that everyone’s ideas are valid and that they shouldn’t be dismissed, even if you do not agree with them.

Address conflict immediately - Conflict should be addressed immediately before it can grow. If a discussion grows heated during a meeting, do not wait until the next meeting to address the issue. Instead, discuss the issue while in the meeting; even if members disagree, they are still able to see each other’s points of view.

Ensure objectivity and develop full insight - Conflicts arise when there are differences of opinion, but also due to miscommunication or misunderstanding. As the manager, you should get all the information you. Be sure you understand the perspectives of every person involved. Even if you are inclined to agree with one side of the conflict, do not make a final judgment until each person has had their say. Ending a discussion without hearing each person out can escalate the problem.

Make compromise a goal - Compromising between parties is helpful, as it can allow for both conflicting parties the ability to use their ideas. Most times, points can be combined in order to make a better idea or solution. Explain the pros and cons of both ideas, so that both people can consider the opposing view. However, avoid Group-think. This is when a group suppresses the opposing views of members in order to create harmony. While it is always good to maintain harmony within a group while working on a project, this idea of keeping opposing viewpoints at bay because they will disrupt the norm will end up doing more harm than good.

Don’t try to change a team member's personality - This final tip might be the most important. Just as in any type of relationship, do not try to change a member of your team. They are an individual person with unique ideas and forms of expression. Trying to change their feelings or viewpoints will only lead to resentment. You can propose alternatives to them, or list benefits of other ideas, but in the end you may just have to accept that they will disagree with an outcome. Sometimes conflict can be productive by bringing ideas up from different people; sometimes it can be detrimental to the overall productivity of the group and its members.