Strategies for Managing Conflict Among Teams in the Workplace

Strategies for Managing Conflict Among Teams in the Workplace

 

Conflict is a disagreement that occurs in teams when there is a difference of opinions, values, or even perception. Conflict amongst teams is inevitable because every person is different. Each person in a team is unique and possesses a variety of intellectual, emotional, economic and social differences (DeJanasz-Dowd-Schneider, 2001, Chap. 12). Conflict amongst a team can be positive or negative. Conflicts among teams in the workplace are not new. They have been around for centuries in many companies. What is new to the workplace and many companies is how they are choosing to resolve the conflicts.

Conflict can be successfully faced and managed if teams recognize conflicts are normal and inevitable (Fleishman, 2000, p. 29). Team members today are using various strategies to manage the inevitable disagreements among themselves while still allowing room for individuality and creativity. When deciding how to manage a conflict we have to keep in mind the goal of the team. We also have to decide how important the disagreement is and its worth to reaching the ultimate goal. Once you remind yourself of the team's goal and have determined the disagreement's level of importance, research on conflict management has proposed five strategies to: avoiding, accommodating, compromising, competing and collaborating (Thomas, 1976, pp. 889-935).

Deciding how and when to use each strategy becomes a personal preference. Based on the conflict at hand, each team member involved must decide the most appropriate strategy to managing the conflict presently "on the table".

Avoiding

First strategy for managing conflict is avoiding. Avoiding can be when a team member chooses to ignore the conflict. They have decided the conflict is not of importance to them or it is not of importance to the team's goal. Avoidance can be fatal for a team. Avoiding a conflict does not necessarily mean it goes away. It may just mean the conflict is "laying low" for the moment and will rehash itself later in a different conversation. This could only mean that the conflict must still be addressed. By avoiding the conflict the team may be delaying the process of reaching their goal.

Compromising

Second there is the strategy of compromising. Compromising is when a team member decides to negotiate. They have decided sometimes you must "give a little to get a little." They are giving up only a part of their idea in order to reach the goal. They both feel like at least a part of their idea is being exercised. By members compromising the team is at an advantage of reaching its goal.

Accommodating

Third strategy is accommodating. Accommodating is when a team member settles a difference of opinion in a way that will be for the good of the team. They have decided to totally give in to their team member's opinion. They possibly feel as if their team member's opinion is better suited for the goal of the project. However accommodating others could be a downfall. If a person is always accommodating sometimes other team member assume that the accommodator will not mind if the team makes decision on his/her behalf in their absence.

Competing

The fourth strategy to managing conflict is competing. Here the team member has decided not to give in to their teammate's opinion. The competing team member feels that it is not worth sacrificing their own opinion even it means sacrificing the relationship they have with a teammate. However, sometimes this move proves to be positive in reaching the goal. For example, the team has a deadline of 2pm to make a final decision; it