saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
We always see questions being asked from project manager's view to solve a problem. However I would like to know who can a team resolve a issue if they have problem working with a dominating team member or manager ? Saving Changes...
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
It would make sense that team members first try to smooth things out with the PM; if it is not successful, then one might think that escalation to Project Sponsor or Steering Committee makes sense Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
The important thing here is that I think Saurabh is using the word "issue" instead of "conflict" (sorry if I am wrong). I will respond about issue. Issue management is a derivation of risk management. An issue is something that is happend and most of the times a risk become an issue. So, in my case I used the defined issue management process/plan that it is defined inside the risk management plan. Saving Changes...
Marius CloeteCEO| ProjectManagement.co.zaCape Town, Western Provice, South Africa
The heart of the problem vests in the term, 'dominating'. This is a character attribute which affects the whole team, and all attempts to solve or dissolve the issue. Saving Changes...
Tania MelnyczukDirector: Programme Design| ProjectManagement.co.zaCape Town, South Africa
Saurabh, I am linking to what my colleague above has said.
I am reading between the lines and assuming that this is not some kind of 'exam question', but that you're dealing with a difficult real-life situation. There can be no standard answer, in my opinion, because we don't yet understand the root cause (or cofactors) of the situation.
There are numerous questions I would want to ask to better understand the situation before offering advice.
To illustrate why questioning would be essential, here are a number of situations, all of which may give rise to the same question, and all of which would require different approaches to resolution:
A. The goals of the project are unclear, and the project's leadership is weak. Dominating Person has the company's best interests in mind, and is trying to establish control out of a fear that others will waste the company's time and money.
B. Dominating Person is insecure, and has low self-esteem. Past experience has led them to believe that others are usually out to get them and bring them down, so their attitudes and actions are now subconsciously motivated by pre-emptive self-defence.
C. Dominating Person is an alpha-geek and social klutz, more focused on technical issues than on people's feelings. There is no malicious intent; they just don't realise how they come across.
D. The team member is an ENTP and has a problem accepting authority unless it has been earned.
E. The Dominating Person is a sociopath.
F. The organisation has a general culture of dominance, so anyone who wants to rise to the top acts in this way.
And so on.
The question is also, who is it who sees the problem, and is it within that person's sphere of influence or span of control to solve it? Are you the team member who has the 'nasty boss'? Are you feeling ignored, bamboozled and not respected? Do you feel that this person is approachable (i.e., they'd be able to see how they're coming across, and change, if you spoke to them)? Do you have the actual social skills needed to approach this person without risking a huge misunderstanding? Who else feels this way about this person?
Without understanding the situation fully, the answer cannot be not straightforward. Would you care to elaborate further so that we can possibly narrow down the problem, and the potential solution? Saving Changes...
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