Make Conflict Work for the Team

 

Conflict is something you can’t eliminate. Avoiding conflict, while an easy short term fix, is not a real solution. Differences of opinions, objectives, principle, and experiences cannot help but lead to conflict and you need those differences to build better team decisions and performance.

Don’t avoid conflict just because you lack tactics to make it work for you. This Harvard Business Review article has information we can use to devise tactics to make conflict easier to manage.

Initiate Conflict-Based Discussions

• In meetings, ask for lessons learned from recent work. But first, ask for positives – what went right.
• Ask for more options to eliminate group think. Support individuals with contrary ideas. Make sure these ideas are respected and processed routinely.
• Emphasize that active group think avoidance takes rules and practice
• Explain that this is how the team works. Team members should not take it personally.

Transform Unconstructive Conflict

Let’s say you see a team in conflict:  personal attacks, broadcasting their opinions without working together for a team solution, not talking to each other, complaining, the team getting stuck and not being able to continue. Seize the opportunity stop immediately and facilitate the group to constructive conflict.

You might try a white board or other media for a four-quadrant discussion. Again, set this up by saying it’s just the way the team should work. Not evn team processes you set up are sacred Follow this order:

• On the top left, ask for team behaviors or actions that would come under the heading “Keep doing this.” Examples:  Remaining passionate about the project, bringing in ideas from outside the team, project or organization.
• On the top right, ask for team behaviors or actions that would come under the heading “Do more of this.” Examples: Showing appreciation, communicating when too busy, accepting unusual alternatives that solve problems.
• On the bottom left, ask for team behaviors or actions that would come under the heading “Keep not doing this.” Examples:  Complaining publically about the team, actively sabotaging someone else’s work, taking credit for other’s work. (You may have to help fill this in to build confidence)
• On the bottom right, ask for team behaviors or actions that would come under the heading “Do less of this.” Examples: Complaining without problem-solving, blaming, missing intermediate deadlines because of team lack of cooperation

The point is that teams can fall into conflict, but you can pull them out. Use techniques to support positive dispruption.