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ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Week 6: Conflict in teams: a solutions-oriented approach Lesley Irvine Media & Communication Creative Industries ITB002 IT Professional Studies Slide 2 Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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 Slide 3 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Conflict The process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another. OBrien, Access Division, McShane and Locker (2003) Information Technology: Professional Studies. Slide 4 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries The conflict process Sources of Conflict Goals Values Tasks Resources Rules Communication Conflict perceptions Conflict Emotions Manifest Conflict Conflict style Decision Overt behaviours Conflict Outcomes Positive: Decisions Cohesiveness Negative: Turnover Politics Stress Reduced outcomes. OBrien, 2003, p.361 Slide 5 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Conflict spirals Conflicts are a series of events or episodes that build on each other. Once the conflict cycle has begun its important to recognise it and negotiate effective solutions. Unmanaged conflict most often spirals upwards and outwards. Slide 6 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Sources of team conflict Sources of Conflict Communication problems: interests, preferences, values Incompatible goals and expectations Different values attitudes, and beliefs Task interdependence Scarce resources or information Ambiguous rules or procedures EthicsNeeds Power and control Slide 7 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Our shared values The 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. Slide 8 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Our shared values The way we get things done We deliver meaningful innovation. We achieve our results through teamwork. We conduct our business with uncompromising integrity. Slide 9 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries hp Board calls for creative new ideas Board funds most promising projects Selected ideas posted on network Project managers bid for projects Selected proposals invited to make persuasive oral presentation to Board VC-Cafe Work teams form hp employees bid for projects Employees as entrepreneurs Teams constantly forming, shifting, disbanding as projects come and go Slide 10 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries You must make sure you have the mechanisms in place to raise an issue in the first place. If an issue reaches boiling point, its a lot harder to manage. Project Manager, Information Technology From the workplace Slide 11 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries If you get bent out of shape every time someone disagrees or asks a question; the group wont be productive. Its really hard. Ive been doing this for years and when someone challenges your idea, it can naturally make you feel a little defensive. Events Manager From the workplace Slide 12 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries It turned into quite an argument about who was right and who was wrong. Marketing Manager From the workplace Slide 13 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Her style of leadership was very different. Her approach was extremely confrontational. Its quite amazing how quickly morale declined. Secondary School Teacher From the workplace Slide 14 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Our team had to disband; we couldnt 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 From the workplace Slide 15 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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 From the workplace Slide 16 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Task conflict can be productive. Personal conflict can be destructive. Productive Conflict Positive Depersonalised Substance or content oriented Co-operative Dysfunctional Conflict Negative Personalised Emotional Competitive Self-oriented. Slide 17 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Handling conflict Collaborator Compromiser Accommodator Controller/competitor Avoider Slide 18 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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. Slide 19 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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. Slide 20 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Conflict in teams Common causes of conflict Failure to produce what is promised. Differences in perceptions of quality Listening problems lack of understanding. Slide 21 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Why Dont People Listen? Hugh Mackay (1994) Listeners generally interpret messages in ways that make them feel comfortable and secure. When peoples attitudes are attacked head-on, they are likely to defend those attitudes and, in the process, reinforce them. Slide 22 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Why Dont 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. Slide 23 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Why Dont 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. Slide 24 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Sources of conflict in teams Minimise destructive conflict Clarify rules And procedures Improve communication and understanding Reduce task interdependence Increase support to each other Gain member support for all decisions Gain agreement on how you will proceed Emphasise long-term & short-term goals Emphasise group similarities. Share power and control Slide 25 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Communication and Negotiation Love and business are identical, a matter of negotiation. Christina Stead, Letty Fox, Her Luck (1946) Slide 26 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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. Slide 27 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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. Slide 28 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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) Slide 29 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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 Slide 30 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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. Slide 31 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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 peoples interest. What is motivating their position? Slide 32 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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. Slide 33 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries 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. Slide 34 ITB002 IT Professional Studies Faculty of Information Technology Faculty of Creative Industries Resolving conflict Keep sight of common goals. Make suggestions about what can be done to improve. The solution doesnt have to be perfect it just has to work for you, so that the project can go forward.