5 Steps To Manage Conflict Between Team Members

Summary

This video, led by Jess Coles, offers a five-step guide to effectively manage conflicts between team members. It emphasizes the importance of being proactive, understanding the root causes of conflicts, and addressing difficult individuals or incompetence. Key steps include digging beneath the surface to find underlying issues, improving communication, and implementing changes. By following these steps, managers can reduce workplace tension, enhance team dynamics, and foster a more harmonious and productive environment.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Proactively addressing conflicts within teams is crucial to preventing them from worsening and impacting performance.
• ❓ Understanding the causes of conflict by asking questions and gathering specific examples helps to identify the root issues.
• ⚠️ Difficult people, such as bullies or those with behavioral problems, should be managed carefully, with coaching or, if necessary, removal from the team.
• 👎 Incompetent individuals causing conflict should be placed in roles where they can contribute positively, avoiding resentment from colleagues.
• 🔧 Investigating organizational setups, conflicting goals, and overlapping responsibilities can uncover underlying causes of team conflicts.
• 💬 Improving communication between conflicting parties helps them understand each other's perspectives, reducing tension and leading to better solutions.
• 🤝 Acting as a mediator, rather than a manager, helps guide individuals toward finding their own resolutions to conflicts, ensuring better ownership of outcomes.
• 📝 Implementing changes that address external causes of conflict, such as conflicting responsibilities or goals, is essential to resolving issues.
• 🔨 Building support for proposed changes within the team and across departments helps ensure that changes are successfully implemented.
• 🧠 Conflict can arise from various sources, including personal behavior, team dynamics, and organizational structure, requiring thorough investigation and tailored solutions.

Q & A

What is the first step to managing conflict between team members?

The first step to managing conflict between team members is to be proactive. This involves addressing the conflict early and investigating what is causing it, as conflicts usually do not resolve themselves without intervention.

Why is it important to be proactive in addressing team conflicts?

Being proactive is important because conflicts can negatively impact the team atmosphere and performance. If left unresolved, the conflict may escalate, affecting both the individuals involved and those around them.

What are some initial questions to ask when identifying the cause of conflict between team members?

Some initial questions include: 'What does the other person do that you find difficult?' and 'What organizational rules or goals might be putting you in conflict?' These questions help pinpoint specific behaviors contributing to the conflict.

How can difficult people or incompetence contribute to team conflict?

Difficult people, such as bullies, and incompetent employees can be significant sources of conflict. Their behavior or inability to meet job demands can create tension among team members, leading to conflict.

What steps can be taken to manage conflict caused by incompetent team members?

To manage conflict caused by incompetent team members, it's important to find them a more suitable role where they can perform effectively, thus reducing the frustration and resentment felt by others who may be cleaning up after them.

What are some common organizational causes of conflict between team members?

Organizational causes of conflict may include overlapping responsibilities, conflicting goals, differing performance levels, or pressures from management. These factors can create tension between employees or teams.

Why is it important to work on communication when managing conflict?

Working on communication is crucial because it helps individuals understand each other's perspectives, assumptions, and pressures. Improved understanding can significantly reduce or even resolve the conflict.

What role should a manager play in mediating conflicts between team members?

A manager should act as a mediator, asking questions to guide the discussion rather than imposing solutions. This helps the conflicting parties reach their own understanding or compromise, which increases the likelihood of long-term success.

What is an example of external factors causing conflict in a team?

An example of external factors causing conflict could be conflicting goals between departments, such as a sales team focused on revenue and a finance team focused on profit. This type of conflict may require changes in organizational objectives to resolve.

How can a manager successfully implement change to resolve conflict?

A manager can successfully implement change by clearly communicating the need for change, gaining support from team members, and persuading stakeholders to accept adjustments, such as altering responsibilities or aligning goals, to resolve the conflict.