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When any two people work together, there is the potential for conflict. How much more so where there is a team of people working together. What does That Leader do to resolve the conflict?
First and foremost, That Leader needs to search for the cause of conflict in order to be successful in resolving it. While the underlying emotions are usually fear, anxiety and stress, these come to the fore in more sophisticated forms.
In some cases there is a conflict within the person herself. She may be thinking about buying a new house, changing jobs, a fight she had with one of her children or thinking about going back to college. That Leader will need to be aware of more than just the business persona on some occasions to see that the reason this person is causing conflict within the group. It will be up to That Leader to speak to this person privately and tell her that she needs to keep her problems-at-home at home. It is not his business to know the details and he will need to stop her if she decides to vent. Unbusiness-like behavior can create further problems.
If a person on the team feels like his needs or wants are not being met, he might be disruptive and even become angry or withdrawn in the meeting. That Leader will have to find out what the person’s needs or wants are. She might choose to discuss this in a one-to-one setting or she may think that this is a problem the group needs to work on together.
Some people feel like their values are being tested. That Leader must show integrity at all times. If the leader shows integrity, the group will be able to do the same. In some instances there may be differences in values. This would be a place for careful group discussion, with certain ground rules in place, principally no one can show disrespect for anyone else. That Leader can find out what value the team member feels is being tested and the group can ask questions if they do not understand. After that, the leader should ask all members to consider the position of the member for further discussion at a meeting within 24 hours. Then the group should resume work on the project.
In the follow-up meeting everyone in the group who wants to can offer an opinion of the value that the principle said was being tested. Again the basic rule of no disrespect applies. Often when a person feels like he has been sincerely heard, he will often be able to see that what he thought was happening was a misinterpretation. On the other hand the group could decide that a change needs to be made because the principle member is correct.
The same kind of leadership applies if someone creates conflict over perceptions or assumptions. Some times That Leader will work with the person alone and then possibly bring it to the team, other times she will open the floor during the meeting to clear the air.
There are some causes for conflict that should not be made into public discussions. Some times That Leader is going to find a team member who is insecure because he doesn’t have enough knowledge to make valid contributions. He might say things that are not appropriate and the others might laugh or mock him. It is best if That Leader discusses this with the member in private and perhaps reminds him that he is in the group to gain knowledge and to grow with the group. That Leader might have to remind the team members that every contributor deserves respect.
Other team members might feel that That Leader is expecting too much or not enough from him or her. This can lead to boredom or anxiety on the team member’s part with resulting actions causing conflict within the team. That Leader will need to have a one-to-one in order to determine where the problem lays.
The final sort of conflict can be caused by personality, race or gender difference issues. That Leader will need the help of human resources in cases like this because a wrong action can cause a lawsuit. In a small business where there is no formal human resources office, That Leader needs to realize there is a problem quickly and act on it.
The best way to handle this situation is to state clearly in a meeting that respect for all is the main rule of the group. If anyone is disrespectful to another, that information will be noted and placed in a file. This is the file that determines future raises. If the behavior continues, there will be a possibility of dismissal. That Leader needs to make clear to the group that he is not dictating what members think, only what they say and do.
These nine causes and ways to work through them that I have suggested are just some of the ways a conflict can be handled. When you have had a team conflict, what has been the cause and how was it handled? Were you satisfied with the manner it was resolved? Please leave a comment in the box below.
[/caption]When any two people work together, there is the potential for conflict. How much more so where there is a team of people working together. What does That Leader do to resolve the conflict?
First and foremost, That Leader needs to search for the cause of conflict in order to be successful in resolving it. While the underlying emotions are usually fear, anxiety and stress, these come to the fore in more sophisticated forms.
In some cases there is a conflict within the person herself. She may be thinking about buying a new house, changing jobs, a fight she had with one of her children or thinking about going back to college. That Leader will need to be aware of more than just the business persona on some occasions to see that the reason this person is causing conflict within the group. It will be up to That Leader to speak to this person privately and tell her that she needs to keep her problems-at-home at home. It is not his business to know the details and he will need to stop her if she decides to vent. Unbusiness-like behavior can create further problems.
If a person on the team feels like his needs or wants are not being met, he might be disruptive and even become angry or withdrawn in the meeting. That Leader will have to find out what the person’s needs or wants are. She might choose to discuss this in a one-to-one setting or she may think that this is a problem the group needs to work on together.
Some people feel like their values are being tested. That Leader must show integrity at all times. If the leader shows integrity, the group will be able to do the same. In some instances there may be differences in values. This would be a place for careful group discussion, with certain ground rules in place, principally no one can show disrespect for anyone else. That Leader can find out what value the team member feels is being tested and the group can ask questions if they do not understand. After that, the leader should ask all members to consider the position of the member for further discussion at a meeting within 24 hours. Then the group should resume work on the project.
In the follow-up meeting everyone in the group who wants to can offer an opinion of the value that the principle said was being tested. Again the basic rule of no disrespect applies. Often when a person feels like he has been sincerely heard, he will often be able to see that what he thought was happening was a misinterpretation. On the other hand the group could decide that a change needs to be made because the principle member is correct.
The same kind of leadership applies if someone creates conflict over perceptions or assumptions. Some times That Leader will work with the person alone and then possibly bring it to the team, other times she will open the floor during the meeting to clear the air.
There are some causes for conflict that should not be made into public discussions. Some times That Leader is going to find a team member who is insecure because he doesn’t have enough knowledge to make valid contributions. He might say things that are not appropriate and the others might laugh or mock him. It is best if That Leader discusses this with the member in private and perhaps reminds him that he is in the group to gain knowledge and to grow with the group. That Leader might have to remind the team members that every contributor deserves respect.
Other team members might feel that That Leader is expecting too much or not enough from him or her. This can lead to boredom or anxiety on the team member’s part with resulting actions causing conflict within the team. That Leader will need to have a one-to-one in order to determine where the problem lays.
The final sort of conflict can be caused by personality, race or gender difference issues. That Leader will need the help of human resources in cases like this because a wrong action can cause a lawsuit. In a small business where there is no formal human resources office, That Leader needs to realize there is a problem quickly and act on it.
The best way to handle this situation is to state clearly in a meeting that respect for all is the main rule of the group. If anyone is disrespectful to another, that information will be noted and placed in a file. This is the file that determines future raises. If the behavior continues, there will be a possibility of dismissal. That Leader needs to make clear to the group that he is not dictating what members think, only what they say and do.
These nine causes and ways to work through them that I have suggested are just some of the ways a conflict can be handled. When you have had a team conflict, what has been the cause and how was it handled? Were you satisfied with the manner it was resolved? Please leave a comment in the box below.
Jaco Grobbelaar, owner of BroadVision Marketing, helps business owners and business professionals put marketing strategies in place that consistently secure new clients. He can be reached at jaco@broadvisionmarketing.com or 707.799.1238. You can “Like” him at www.facebook.com/broadvisionmarketing or connect with him on www.linkedin.com/in/JacoGrobbelaar.
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