Week 6: Conflict in teams: a solutions-oriented approach

1. ITB002 IT Professional Studies Week 6: Conflict in teams: a solutions-oriented approach Lesley Irvine Media & Communication Creative Industries

2. Doing and Knowing What you need to know: • How teams work together in stressful situations • Learn about theory underpinning team dynamics • What conflict is and how to resolve it What you will do: • Lecture 6 Conflict in teams • Workshop 6 Ethics workshop and team analysis report • Practical 6 Developing a professional portfolio

3. Conflict The process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another. O’Brien, Access Division, McShane and Locker (2003) Information Technology: Professional Studies.

4. The conflict process Sources of Conflict Goals Values Tasks Resources Rules Communication Conflict Outcomes Positive: Decisions Cohesiveness Negative: Turnover Politics Stress Reduced outcomes . Conflict perceptions Manifest Conflict Conflict style Decision Overt behaviours Conflict Emotions O’Brien, 2003, p.361

5. Conflict spirals • Conflicts are a series of events or episodes that build on each other. • Once the conflict cycle has begun it’s important to recognise it and negotiate effective solutions. • Unmanaged conflict most often spirals upwards and outwards.

6. Sources of team conflict Communication problems: interests, preferences, values Ethics Needs Incompatible goals and expectations Ambiguous rules or procedures Sources of Conflict Different values attitudes, and beliefs Power and control Scarce resources or information Task interdependence

7. Our shared valuesThe way we get things done • We are passionate about customers. • We have trust and respect for individuals. • We perform at a high level of achievement and contribution. • We act with speed and agility.

8. Our shared valuesThe way we get things done • We deliver meaningful innovation. • We achieve our results through teamwork. • We conduct our business with uncompromising integrity.

9. Employees as entrepreneurs VC-Cafe hp Board calls for creative new ideas Selected ideas posted on network Project managers bid for projects hpemployees bid for projects Board funds most promising projects Selected proposals invited to make persuasive oral presentation to Board Work teams form Teams constantly forming, shifting, disbanding as projects come and go

10. From the workplace ‘You must make sure you have the mechanisms in place to raise an issue in the first place. If an issue reaches boiling point, it’s a lot harder to manage.’ Project Manager, Information Technology

11. From the workplace ‘If you get bent out of shape every time someone disagrees or asks a question; the group won’t be productive. It’s really hard. I’ve been doing this for years and when someone challenges your idea, it can naturally make you feel a little defensive.’ Events Manager

12. From the workplace ‘It turned into quite an argument about who was right and who was wrong.’ Marketing Manager

13. From the workplace ‘Her style of leadership was very different. Her approach was extremely confrontational. It’s quite amazing how quickly morale declined.’ Secondary School Teacher

14. From the workplace ‘Our team had to disband; we couldn’t finish the project. It got to a stage that any time someone offered an opinion, it was immediately discounted.’ Development Manger, Not-for-profit organisation

15. From the workplace ‘The final report was co-written by someone who had never been on the team and the recommendations lacked any substance. Overall, it achieved absolutely nothing.’ Communication Manager for scientific research

16. Task conflict can be productive. Personal conflict can be destructive. • Dysfunctional • Conflict • Negative • Personalised • Emotional • Competitive • Self-oriented. • Productive • Conflict • Positive • Depersonalised • Substance or • content oriented • Co-operative

17. Handling conflict • Collaborator • Compromiser • Accommodator • Controller/competitor • Avoider

18. Conflict management • Be a collaborator: think win-win for the team. • Ask questions to reduce ambiguity and misunderstanding. • Discuss the issues, including the process issues. • Avoid dominating the group. • Involve everyone and work to a consensus.

19. Conflict in teams Common causes of conflict • Unequal work distribution. • Problems with organisation. • Failure to produce what is promised. • Differences in understanding goals and tasks. • Differences in perceptions of ‘quality’ • Absenteeism. • Dominance. • Listening problems – lack of understanding.

20. Conflict in teams Common causes of conflict • Failure to produce what is promised. • Differences in perceptions of ‘quality’ • Listening problems – lack of understanding.

21. Why Don’t People Listen?Hugh Mackay (1994) • Listeners generally interpret messages in ways that make them feel comfortable and secure. • When people’s attitudes are attacked head-on, they are likely to defend those attitudes and, in the process, reinforce them.

22. Why Don’t People Listen?Hugh Mackay (1994) • People who are insecure in a relationship are unlikely to be good listeners. • People are more likely to listen to us if we also listen to them.

23. Why Don’t People Listen?Hugh Mackay (1994) • People are more likely to support a change which affects them if they are consulted before a change is made. • Lack of self-knowledge and unwillingness to resolve our internal conflicts makes it harder for us to communicate with other people.

24. Sources of conflict in teams Emphasise group similarities. Clarify rules And procedures Emphasise long-term & short-term goals Improve communication and understanding Minimise destructive conflict Gain agreement on how you will proceed Reduce task interdependence Share power and control Gain member support for all decisions Increase support to each other

25. Communication and Negotiation Love and business are identical, a matter of negotiation. Christina Stead, Letty Fox, Her Luck (1946)

26. What determines human communication? • We all have a natural tendency to judge. • When we form an impression of others, we are influenced by our own set of beliefs and values.

27. What determines human communication? • People often do not mean what you understand them to say. • People routinely fail to interpret what you say in the way you intend.

28. What determines human communication? Communication is like soft clay which can be shaped and reshaped as different receivers make sense of it. Putnis and Petelin (1998)

29. What determines human communication? Conversations are often serialised monologues, with people not so much listening but thinking about what they will say next. Bryan Bell, ttp://bbll.com/ch02.html

30. Resolving conflict • Identify what you each understand is the task to be achieved. • Discuss how this is to proceed. Critique the task, rather than criticise the person. • Gain agreement at every stage. • Discuss how all members can get what they want. • Isolate the issues that seem irreconcilable. Assess their importance to the common goals.

31. Resolving conflict • Assess the value of the conflicting issues to the achievement of the team goals. If they are important they must be addressed. • Talk through the issues to diagnose what is going on. Be as specific as possible. • Eliminate unimportant differences. Analyse people’s interest. What is motivating their position?

32. Resolving conflict • Find points in common within each difference. Work out compromises. • Agree on a solution that is positive and specific. • Work for fairness, equity and balance. • Be generous and helpful. Recognise positive aspects as well as negative ones. • Maintain a sense of humour and perspective.

33. Resolving conflict • Choose specific strategies most appropriate to the particular conflict. • There are at least three possible ways to approach the situation: Ignore it. Approach it indirectly or privately. Confront the issue and negotiate a satisfactory solution.

34. Resolving conflict • Keep sight of common goals. Make suggestions about what can be done to improve. • The solution doesn’t have to be perfect – it just has to work for you, so that the project can go forward.