Kristin JonesSocial Media Specialist III| PMINewtown Square, Pa, United States
What do you do as a PM when you need to manage a disagreement among your project team members? How have you addressed such situations in the past? What works best? What doesn't work so well? Saving Changes...
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Cathleen TracySupervisory IT Specialist| Department of Homeland Security Falls Church, Va, United States
What kind of disagreement? Technical approach? Perception of workload? Could you provide more theoretical details? Saving Changes...
Rebecca BraglioCommunity Engagement Specialist II| Project Management InstituteNewtown Square, Pa, United States
Looking forward to the answers on this one...when I find myself in a disagreement situation, I do my best to try to make sure everyone feels (and is) heard. I know that when I'm the one disagreeing I feel pretty strongly at first - and I really try to make a concentrated effort not to come out charging with my opinion - especially because by the time I've given things serious thought, I've changed my mind.
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Michael AdamsSolutions Architect| LANLLos Alamos, Nm, United States
This is the perfect opportunity for a facilitated discussion, though Cathleen's questions are very pertinent.
Generally, I'd get the disagreeing parties in a room, and explain that we're going to discuss the situation, that everyone will have the opportunity to fully express their point of view.
Next, I say something like, lets start by capturing the facts. Only the facts. I'll write on the whiteboard, and you all take turns articulating facts for me to record.
Then I stand and start writing. I capture the facts (hierarchically if appropriate). This gets the disagreeing members to work collaboratively and subtly changes the tone.
At some point, they will agree that what is written on the board seems comprehensive. At this point, I continue with trading off, and ask them to articulate their point of view in bullet point statements if possible. I write these in a different color, and continue to represent them hierarchically if possible.
This requires active listening on my part, it is important that I understand what is being said to me, and that they are all clear that I understand what they are trying to communicate.
Usually at this point, they start to really understand each-others' points of view, and they begin to explore collaborative solutions, which side-step the controversy.
In reality, I didn't do anything, except get them to work together in listing facts, listen to each-others' concerns and understand what the other was saying, and work together to find a mutually acceptable (and usually better) solution. Saving Changes...
Cathleen TracySupervisory IT Specialist| Department of Homeland Security Falls Church, Va, United States
Handling disagreement calls for a pretty fluid approach as it always has the interpersonal at the root. What I find works for one person or team doesn't always work in a different scenario or a different team member. Folks have different "buttons" -- motivators, triggers and knowing your team well helps a lot when sorting through the real issues. That's why I was interested in a few more details to the original post.
I find active listening and not judging to be the starting points. My team is confident that they can bring up issues to me (even about me to me) and know I will listen and digest what they are saying without snap judgements or thinking poorly about them. Sometimes they just want to vent and that's fine too.
I don't always try to solve the issue "right now" but take the time to think through a good solution.
I've also iterated on issues, doing small adjustments to see if it's effective. If so, I make another small adjustment and so on. If I'm subtle enough, most don't even notice until I'm complete. I've healed some contentious tenant relationships that way.
On differences on technical approach, those tend to work out nicely via the facilitated approach that Michael laid out already.
I have found much disagreement stems from perception -- generally someone believes that they are working harder than someone else or that someone else is slacking ... and sometimes they are right. :) Other times it is because they don't see everything going on. More information sharing between team members can help the perception that "I'm doing all the work."
This could also be posted to the human resources practice for more ideas.
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Salam KalandosChief, Healthcare Technology Management - Clinical Engineering | US Department of Veterans AffairsChandler, Az, United States
I use different approach depending on the type of disagreement, if the disagreement is technical in nature then coming up with pros & cons to each proposed solution would bring the team together and change it from a disagreement to a brain storming session. At the end the team normally can see the obvious and agree on a solution. Saving Changes...
First of all, you must make sure to listen carefully all parties in the conflict, because often happens that conflict basically doesn't exist but the team members are arguing because they misunderstood each other. If the conflict truly exist, than you have to listen their arguments and than to make a decision that is best for your project Saving Changes...
Sudarshan HarshePM III MBA Operations PRINCE2® SIX SIGMA| Fidel SoftechPune, Maharashtra, India
There are always disagreements within team members, may be on technical approach, process adoption, setting priority task/s, workloads, and may be within themselves or even with you. In my opinion, you have to address each of these as a separate case on each project. You may see some people with all-time retaliating/arguing or some less aware/knowledgeable of project environment/deliverables, post processes. Sometimes with just mentoring some cases solve, in some dispute situations you need to call all concern parties to discuss and come up with result. This can be an agreement, your vote to a view or, force. Nothing is wrong…after all you are taken responsible for failure of the project, and not for the success…! Saving Changes...
PARAG KANDEKARVP Operations| SoftNice IncAllentown, Pa, United States
Disagreements and Conflict Situations are really common. Here as a Leader you need to ensure that you are not biased and come up with collaborative decision where involved parties acknowledge and accept the final decision so as to act on it as a team.
I got not best but better way of handling the situations –
1. Face the situation rather than running away – you cannot avoid a situation if it is around you and your work. It will come to you and knock the door. Better to approach the situation at Right time in proactive manner to control it rather than wait to spread it to Uncontrolled Limit.
2. Clean your slate – don’t face any situation with some presumption, otherwise you are not there to resolve the conflict or situation but to push your decisions with presumptions.
3. Listen and ensure you are heard clearly – such situation expects conversation rather that one way communication. It’s important to listen and express. Put the points clearly rather that running around bush. Give relevant cases as references.
4. Conclude – always conclude the discussion with summary. Conclusion may not be the final decision but it can be the plan of action, partial agreement with timeline to review and so on…
5. Revisit and correct – revisit proactively as per plan and timeline otherwise it will reopen and keep reopening.
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