Gokhan Gureser
PMP, LSS MBB, ASQ CSSBB
Continuous Improvement Expert
Conflict Management
Do you think conflict is bad?​ I do not think, so.
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Conflict is good regardless old beliefs. Recent management articles have promoted conflicts, in an organization, which turns out to be a trigger for improvement.
Conflict is destined and unavoidable for at the lifetime of the project. Project manager should give his focus to convert it to a beneficial state.
DO you think is it because of personality discomfort?
No, researches show that personality and dislike among team members is the 8th most important factor.
Most conflicts stem from priorities and resources , especially if you are in a matrix environment. Schedule is also an important factor. Technical solutions, operation procedures, cost disagreements and unfulfilled expectations are main factors. But personality come later than all these factors.
How to resolve a conflict?
There basicly two manners that one can select in resolving conflicts:
1. Assertive mode
Ensured idea or belief of the one who is absolutely certain about his true without need for proof. This mode basicly declar his belief and do not offend the other ideas. Do not expect confirmance or gratitude for his belief.
2. Emphatic mode
try to understand the other's point of view and emotional state, partially.
Conflict resolution in Project management
Avoidance (Passive, Withdrawal) Tecnique
If you do not take any action when conflict occurs, you are using this tecnique.
Yielding (Accomodating, Smoothing)
It is a political and dialogue based tecnique.
If you emphasize and focus on common values, shared ideas to overrule the conflict, you are using this tecnique. You focus on maintaining good social relationship rather than pointing out conflicted issues.
Forcing (Competitive, Directing, fighting)
If both sides put their assertive mode on the table, this type of conflict solution might be realized. Nobody want to compromise and this will lead to a win-lose end. Actually most time the power possessor wins it.
Cooperation (Collaborating, Problem solving)
Both sides com together with good-will and write down or speak up the conflicts to find the best potential solution. It will end with a win-win. Ends with concensus.
Compromising (Reconciling)
to meet at the middle is compromising: Both parties concess to reconcile the conflict. not end with concensus, it ends with reconciling at the middle. both parties will compromise.
I am Sorry!.
Conflict sometimes bad, YES!.
(This is an original classification that you cannot find any of text books but I speak up with my experiences. )
Look! I would clasify conflicts into two categories:
Project Related Conflicts
Which we have been discussing and the ones related to project. Reource, priorities and schedule etc.
Ethical Conflicts
these are the conflicts that stem from not obeying written rules or unwritten ethical and moral values.
Breaking law, procedure or policy or any other explicit law is one of them. Moreover, to ignore or humiliate moral values and mobbing can be another reason for conflict.
This type of conflict needs to be intervented by project manager and HR department directly. Depending on the offence intensity, the guilty must be penalized.
This is the type of conflict that you can classify as bad one.