How to Resolve Team Conflicts

What is a team conflict? 

Mary Parker Follett simply defines conflict as, “the appearance of difference, of opinions and interests”. Conflicts are the thoughts, and ideas of the individual that differ from others. These are surrounded by the stigma of calling it a threat or bad luck in the team.

Conflict can arise from numerous sources within a team setting and generally falls into three categories: 

1. Communication factors

Half-information is a common threat in the organisation. According to studies, 40% of the information gets distorted while conveyed among the teams. Communication barriers include poor listening skills, lack of transparency, and differences in the perspective of an individual.

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2. Structural factors

Structural barriers include the size of the organisation, freedom in participation, turnover rate, and reward systems.

3. Personal factors

Personal disagreement involves grudges between team members, individual self-esteem, goals, and expectations.

Conflicts in the work team are not always destructive. Sometimes, it outlines management work more effectively. Healthy conflicts lead to a better understanding of team goals, ensure innovative ideas, and enhance problem-solving approaches.

One can learn from the childhood experience when a teacher appreciates the student who tends to ask more questions. Similarly, conflicts open the gateway of the brain to think and act upon unfavourable situations. On the contrary, destructive conflicts act like foreign antibodies that continue to destroy and divide the team if left unchecked. Working in harmony is the antidote for solving team conflicts.

Tips for managers and team leaders to handle team conflicts effectively

• Accept Conflicts

Employees are the pillars of an organisation. Everyone needs recognition, and credit for the hours, time and sweat he/she put in. Everybody has a unique perspective, opinion, idea, and outlook on topics related to day-to-day decisions. Some handle unfavourable situations well while others may not have the same potential. Accepting conflicts is a sign of good team management. Being ignorant about the inner conflicts in the team results in low productivity, a fall in turnover and a shortage of resources.

• Identify Creative Conflicts

Creativity is an art that is mastered by intellectual minds. Arguments, debates, the difference in opinions, and ideas do not always bring harm to the team. Many times, conflicts act as a catalyst to foster employee productivity and growth. Brainstorming is possible only when the mind works under pressure. Thinking profoundly in uncertain situations increases the chance to generate innovative ideas, strategies, and methods.

• Understand People Behaviour

Managers need to study the human behaviour of each individual in their teams. Managers are entitled to keep a close look at the behaviour, performance, and reaction of individuals in the team. A good measure of testing an individual’s personality is Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myer’s typological approach. This test categorizes an individual into one of the 16 personality types. This information helps to figure out the personality traits of an individual, based on which correct roles can be assigned to them.

• Take Problem-solving Approach

Teamwork facilitates deep learning of cognitive skills, decision-making, conflict resolution and team spirit among staff. Team working together assimilate opinions, and ideas and share views at the workplace.

The steps involved in the problem-solving approach are

• Analysing the situation
• Finding alternatives
• Evaluation
• Implementation

• Collaborate more often

There is an old saying, ‘Power lies in unity’. Organizational goals can be best achieved when teams work together, when ’I’ is replaced with ’We’. Collaboration is the first ladder to ensure the success of teams and teamwork. When team members work together in harmony, they become more capable of resolving minor conflicts.

• Moderate Decision Making

Receiving confirmation from the team on the decision is a complex and tiresome process.

A non-motivated member of a team may try to cut corners when a quick decision is needed. Each member does not need to agree on every decision. Sometimes, it even intensifies the urge to disagree with other members as a point of interest differs. A manager must know when to supersede and make the decision on behalf of the team which is good for the majority.

Conclusion 

Conflicts are neither constructive nor destructive. Perspective, the behaviour of the individual defines its direction. In very little time, the benefits of teamwork could transform its pace leading to the destruction. A great leader is one who transmits the flow of a team in one direction and brings out the positive impact of conflicts and side-line the negative ones.