Effective Communication and Conflict Management in Software Team

1. Unit 8 Effective Communication and Conflict Management

2. 軟體團隊的建立與運作 • 軟體團隊的發展過程 • 形成階段: Forming • 衝突階段: Storming • 標準化階段: Norming • 執行階段: Performing • 終止階段: Adjourning

3. 形成階段: Forming • 因為願景與目標而成立 • 聚集各領域的專業人員 • 具明確的共同目標指引開發方向 lead with directive behavior

4. 衝突階段: Storming • 團隊合作與個人成就互相衝突 • 成員抗拒與衝突發生，缺乏秩序顯現混亂 • 將人際關係議題的情緒反應轉移至任務本身 lead with highly directive and supportive behavior

5. 標準化階段: Norming • 人際關係問題解決，團隊關係形成 • 角色被接受，行為標準形成 • 團隊成員開始表達自己的看法 • 團隊領導人即時傳送資訊知識及技能給予團隊成員 • 成員在期限內完成交付工作，主動解決問題，努力改善工作品質 lead with high support and low direction

6. 執行階段: Performing • 團隊人際關係的互動是促成軟體專案達成目標的機制 • 團隊角色功能化，且必要時可彈性調整 • 團隊力量開始發揮 • 有效的團隊運作需依賴成員本身所具備的溝通與協商技巧 lead with low support and low direction

7. Introduction • 軟體開發人員的時間分配 • 溝通 32% • 撰寫程式 13% • 閱讀程式與技術手冊 16% • 訓練 6% • 郵寄文件 5% • 私人的事 13% • 其它 15% Source: Boehm, 1981

8. Introduction • 專案管理者的時間分配 • Speaking 30% • Listening 45% • Reading 10% • Writing 10% • Other 5% Source: Bob Futrell, 2001

9. What is communication? • What do you think communication is? • How would you define it?

10. Communication • Communication is defined as the interchange of thoughts or opinions through shared symbols; e.g. language, words, phrases

11. Why we communicate • We communicate to: • Share our ideas and opinions • Provide feedback to others • Get information from others • Gain power and influence • Develop social relationships • ...

12. How we communicate • We communicate and build interpersonal relationships through: • Speech • Writing • Listening • Non-verbal language • Music, art, and crafts

13. Four facets of communication • Three are four facets in all types of communication: • Sender • Receiver • Information • Behavior

14. Four facets of communication • In any communication: • The Senderis the person trying to communicate a message • The Receiver is the person at whom the message is directed • A message is sent to convey information • Information is meant to change behavior

15. What’s happen?

16. Shared symbols • Sometimes when we communicate we assume we are using shared symbols when we might not be • Think about the term “asap”, “as soon as possible”. What does it really mean?

17. Shared symbols • How might your meaning of “asap” change in these situations?… • Someone from another department calls. He needs some detailed information asap; but you are already rather busy. • A coworker comes to you for help with an assignment. She needs you asap; but you have another job to finish before lunch. • Your immediate supervisor, whom you like to please, asks you to type a memo for her asap; but you already have a stack of other jobs to finish.

18. Shared symbols • In the previous examples, we’ve seen the meaning of “asap” change from “in a few days” to “immediately”. • Many other words and phrases are also vague and have different meanings for different people. • Shared symbols are not always completely shared. The message intended is not always the message received.

19. Choosing your medium • Depending upon the situation, one method of communication may be better than another. • In person: one-to-one • In person: meetings, small groups • In person: presentations, large groups • Letter • Memo • Note • Email • Voice mail

20. Choosing your medium • To determine the best medium for your message determine: • What you as the sender need to achieve • What the receiver needs to know. What the receiver wants to know • How detailed, important, and or personal the information in the message is • Which behavior you want to influence and how

21. Choosing your medium Uncertainty major event Develop phase requirement define analysis design testing release coding (integrate) ...

22. Three steps of an acknowledgement • Level 1: received • Level 2: understood • Level 3: Acted on

23. Barriers to communication • Some common barriers to interpersonal communication include: • Unclear process: The receiver and sender may not share the same language, slang, jargon, vocabulary, symbols • Chain of command: There may be too many layers that a message passes through between sender and receiver • Large size of an organization, geographic distance: Large numbers of receivers require good message sending methods • Personal limitations: Physical and mental disabilities, and differences in intelligence and education may interfere with mutual understanding

24. Barriers to communication • Additional common barriers to interpersonal communication include: • Human nature: Peoples’ egos, prejudices, and traditions can get in the way • Conflicting feelings, goals, opinions: If people feel on opposite sides of an issue they may not share • Power: The idea that knowledge is power can lead to information hoarding

25. Share your ideas to… • State an opinion or position • Give instructions or directions • Announce a change • Make presentations • Participate in meetings • Give information in emergencies • Communicate the organizational mission, vision, and values • ...

26. Obstacles to sharing ideas… • Your own shyness • Fear of rejection • Peer pressure • Unorganized thinking • Others possibly becoming defensive • Physical disabilities (impaired sight, hearing, speech) • Having to deal with aggressive people • ...

27. SHARE your ideas – a model • State the main point of your message • Highlight other important points • Assure the receiver’s understanding • React to how the receiver responds • Emphasize/summarize your main ideas

28. SHARE – an example State the main point of your message “I’d like to talk to you about the new employee welcome program”. Highlight other important points “We need to discuss the new schedule, locations, and presenters”. Assure the receiver’s understanding “Do you need me to further clarify how we are making invitations”? React to how the receiver responds “I understand your concern about parking”. Emphasize/summarize your main ideas “To wrap-up, I’ll develop the schedule and make the room reservations, if you can line up the guest speakers”.

29. Get good information to… • Find out facts and details • Get directions or instructions • Try to understand another’s point of view • Help someone solve a problem • Resolve a team conflict • Solve work problems • ...

30. Obstacles to getting good information • Lack of trust • Assuming you already know it all • Jumping to conclusions • Not valuing diverse opinions • Weak reading skills • Weak listening skills • Weak questioning skills • ...

31. The power of listening “Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.”

32. Listen actively • Prepare to listen by focusing on the speaker • Control and eliminate distractions so that you can focus on the message. Don’t do anything else (writing, reading, email) but listen • Establish appropriate eye contact to show interest • See listening as an opportunity to get information, share another’s views, and broaden your own knowledge

33. Listen actively • Create a need to listen by thinking about what you can learn from the speaker • Set aside the time to listen so that you won’t feel rushed or become distracted by other responsibilities • Don’t prejudge the message based on who is delivering it. Focus instead on the content of the message. • Monitor the way you listen by asking yourself questions such as “Did I really pay attention or was I thinking about what I was going to say next”? “Was there information I missed because I allowed myself to become distracted”?

34. Questions • Close end questionslimit the answer to yes or no • Open end questionsallow the responder total freedom in answering • Direct questions ask for specific information; limit answers to brief fact statements • Probing questionsfollow up other questions to solicit additional information • Hypothetical questions present a theoretical situation to which receiver responds

35. FOCUS on information – a model • Focus the discussion on the specific information you need • Open-end question to expand the discussion • Close-end question to get specifics • Useactive listening skills to understand what you are hearing • Summarize and close the discussion

36. Give feedback when… • Someone asks for your opinion • Work errors occur frequently • A coworker’s habits disturb you • A coworker’s behavior has negative consequences • There are unresolved problems • ...

37. Feedback • Constructive feedback focuses on facts not people, solving problems instead of placing blame, and strengthening relationships instead of “being right”

38. Obstacles to giving constructive feedback • Separating the person from the problem • Others becoming defensive or angry • Fear of negative consequences (especially if the other person is a supervisor) • Dealing with potential conflict (especially if the other person is aggressive) • Avoiding hurt feelings • Preserving relationships • Not having all the facts and jumping to conclusions • Choosing the right time so that the other person is most receptive • ...

39. STATE feedback – a model • State the constructive purpose of your feedback • Tell specifically what you have observed • Address and describe your reactions • Tender specific suggestions for improvement • Express your support and respect for the person

40. STATE feedback – an example State the constructive purpose of your feedback “I’d like to give you some feedback about your training style so that your evaluations will be more positive and you will enjoy it more”. Tell specifically what you have observed “I notice that you rely heavily on your notes”. Address and describe your reactions “I feel as though you are unsure of yourself when you read”. Tender specific suggestions for improvement “I can help you develop a PowerPoint presentation so that you can use the screens as a cue instead of being tied to your notes”. Express your support and respectfor the person “You know a lot about the subject. With practice you can become a good trainer”.

41. Body language • Nonverbal communication, known as “body language” sends strong positive and negative signals. This is how much it influences any message: Words 8% Tone of voice 34% Non-verbal cues 58% Message 100%

42. Body language includes… • Face • Figure • Focus • Territory • Tone • Time

43. Conflict Management • Traditional Management Structure • Projectized Form of Organization

44. Conflict Management • Resolving Conflicts • What are the common sources of conflict in the project organization? • What conflict management styles do you use and in what situations?

45. Project organization major source of conflict • Associated with change • Concentration of professionals of diverse disciplines in more or less autonomous group effort with limited life • Conflict readily exists in traditional - even more evident in projects • Conflict is inevitable in organizations • Limited means satisfy divergent interests 解決方法是有限的

46. Project organization major source of conflict • Conflict needs to be effectively managed • especially in projects because of imminent time, cost and performance constraints imposed • primary responsibility with project manager • critical issue of PM • uncontrolled conflict can literally tear a project apart

47. Sources of Conflict • Divergent Goals • Perceptual Differences • Status Conflicts (身份的衝突) • Change • Personality Clashes (不同人格的衝突)

48. FEDERAL Chief of Staff COORDINATING Regional Liaison OFFICER Protocol Officer ERO Office of Administrative Asst Inspector General Secretary General Counsel HAZARD Emer Infor & Public Aff Congressional & Gov’t Aff MITIGATION Community Relations DEPUTY Special Assistants FCO Environmental Liaison FINANCE & INFORMATION OPERATIONS LOGISTICS ADMINISTRATION & PLANNING Divergent Goals Perceptual Differences Status Conflicts Personality Clashes Change

49. Different View Points • Traditional view • caused by trouble makers • bad • should be avoided • must be suppressed • Contemporary view • inevitable between humans • often beneficial • It’s not ok to keep your problem/conflict hidden • natural result of change • can and should be managed

50. Five conflict management modes • Withdrawal (avoiding) • Smoothing (Accommodating) • Compromising (Negotiation) • Forcing (Dominating) • Problem solving (Collaborating)