Conflict Case

Creating a fully functional team that can handle conflict in a swift and accurate manner requires initiative. Not everyone within the team is always going to agree or see things the same way. So there are bound to be conflicts. Varney (1989) reports that conflict remained the number-one problem for most of the teams operating within a large energy company, even after repeated training sessions on how to resolve conflict and how to minimize the negative impact on team members. There are a few ways in which a team can resolve a conflict between team members.

As team members, each member has to learn to adjust to the other member's roles and expectations from them. Therefore, the team will begin to mesh well together. Each member should be given the option to tell their side of the conflicts. Getting it out in the open and using communication to resolve the conflict is the course of action that will be taken. Members will be reminded that they need to focus on the team's goals and objectives and less on the pettiness that might be causing them to bring other members of the team down.

A team's progress has key indications such as their ability to handle conflicts and differences of opinion constructively. There is bound to be some level of conflict and that is okay and pretty normal, however if it distracts from the focus of the team, then it becomes a problem that needs to be mediated.

One person should be chosen to be the mediator if a conflict ensues. This will result in that person getting feedback from the parties involved and the facts and the impact it has had, it will also give the members within the conflict time to think about the events and how they unfolded so as to not go into the mediation half cocked and shooting of insults and derogatory remarks. The result should be a positive outcome and all should bear this in mind while in the mediation. Slandering one another to other team members will not and should not be permitted. This should prevent a minor conflict from spiraling out of control. It is much better to resolve it early before a mountain is made from a mole hill.

Should conflict occur within the team, it is crucial to determine if it was caused by:

a.) A personality conflict between two team members

b.) A team member who is not open to others' ways of doing things

When it is conflict a, and it is between two individuals, it is best for them to sit down with the mediator and discuss it openly and honestly. Then they can all talk about it and come to a peaceful resolution.

When it is conflict b, then the mediator or the whole team needs to discuss how there are different personalities and ways of doing things, but if we all have the same goal, then we need to work through those differences and get along. This will help the member's to appreciate the differences