Working as a Team & Team Conflict Resolution
ENG 100 Lecture 9 Silvia Mah
“Individual commitment to a group effort -that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
-Vince Lombardi
(American Football Coach, national symbol of single-minded determination to win)
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Team Development
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
-Henry Ford
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Team development model Leadership model
Telling:
guidance & direction
Selling:
coaching facilitates and enables
Participating: Delegating:
oversees
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Stages of Team Development
• Forming: “Nice to Meet you, not sure why we’re here, it looks like a lot of work!”
– Leader encourages equitable participation, begin focus on project
• Storming: “Do I HAVE to work with this team???”
– Leader helps team to focus on strengths, not weaknesses, in working toward the task at hand
• Norming: “Maybe we will be able to pull this all together, if we stop fighting and listen to each other….”
– Collective decision to behave professionally, and agree to norms – Leader and others may have to facilitate towards group accountability
• Performing: “We’ve got a great plan, and everyone is pulling together….”
– True teamwork and cooperation, members individually committed, multiple leaders
• Adjourning: Goal accomplished, Project Over
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A multi-faceted teambuilding story with heart…
Group to team, leadership, & collaboration
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Team Conflict Benefits of Conflict
• Discuss and report possible benefits of conflict. • Discuss and report how conflict can be destructive.
“ Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” – William Ellery Channing - US theologan 1780 - 1842
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Benefits of Conflict
• Improve the group’s solution
– Conflict can force groups to confront defects in a solution. – The group can choose the best solution. possible
• • • •
Increase the group’s productivity
– Managing conflict reduces time wasted solutions that are not as effective. on
Allow organizational change for the better
– Conflict helps identify potential problems procedures, assignments, etc. – Helps one learn how to anticipate and resolve future conflicts in
Increase individual’s self-awareness and personal development Improve morale
– Venting emotions, releasing stress, and reducing tension – The group can become closer.
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Detecting Conflict
• Straw poll – A non-binding vote on a proposal to determine the level of agreement Go-Round – Each individual has a moment to speak without interruptions Small group breakout discussions – A group representative summarizes the group discussion to a larger group – Good for generating a various positions Fishbowl – Representatives for each position of an argument are chosen to represent and explain their positions and answer questions – Good for condensing the discussion
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Detecting Conflict in your team
• What are some of the conflicts you have faced as a team? Name three. • Do differences in personalities affect these issues? • Discuss and report some of the pitfalls the group should avoid in conflict resolutions. Report back to class.
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Extra Material to help in Team Conflict Resolution
• Strategies for successful conflict resolution • Pitfalls in conflict resolutions • Resolution tactics
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Strategy for successful conflict resolution
1. 2. 3. Acknowledge that the conflict exists. Define the situation. – Both sides should have an opportunity to express what they view as the problem. Get the specifics. – Apply the basic journalistic questions: Who is involved? What has happened? When and where did the problem begin? Why? How could it have been avoided? Has it been repetitive? Put conflict in perspective with the goals and purpose of the team. Brainstorm options. • Seek to understand all angles of the disagreement, keeping in mind that understanding is different from agreement. • Attack the issue, not each other. Channel anger and hostility into problem solving and action planning. What if…? Predict the likely results of each option. Develop an action plan describing what each person will do to solve the problem. Go for it – and don’t forget it. Implement your plan as soon as possible.
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4. 5.
6. 7. 8.
Pitfalls in Conflict Resolutions
• Working on problems that are too general, too large, or not welldefined • Jumping to a solution before really analyzing the problem • Failing to involve critical group members when identifying potential solutions • Tackling problems that are beyond the control or influence of the group • Applying pet solutions rather than seeking the ideal solution • Failing to plan adequately how to implement and evaluate the chosen solution • Failing to address problem behaviors:
• bully, martyr, saboteur, deadbeat, whiner
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Resolution tactics
“I admire Nesby because his agendas are never hidden”
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Conflict Resolution Tactics Building Blocks for teams
1. Clarify expectations 2. Identify the type of team conflict 3. Identify team needs 4. Depersonalize team-internal conflict 5. Structure discussions 6. 10 Key questions
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/conflicts.html
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Conflict resolution tips: (cont.)
1. Clarify Expectations
• Develop a clear mission statement • Ground rules governing participation, sharing of responsibilities, and group dynamics • Agreement to depersonalize conflicts • Recognition that team processes are important and needs regular attention • Clearly and appropriately defined individual responsibilities (ties between roles & mission) • A clearly defined Gantt chart • Structured process for problem solving and conflict resolution
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/conflicts.html
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Conflict resolution tips: (cont.)
2. Identify the Type of Team Conflict
• Internal conflict • Individual conflict with team member • Individual conflict with entire team • Conflict between several team members • Conflict between teams • Team conflict with one person outside of the team (such as a faculty member or a TA) one other the
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http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/conflicts.html
Conflict resolution tips: (cont.)
3. Identify Team Needs
• Define the team’s problem as a shared need. • Identify the causes • Determine the criteria for a solution • Generate options • Determine possible solutions • Develop implementation plans • Review results later on a regular basis • Every member of the team provides his/her view.
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/conflicts.html
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Conflict resolution tips: (cont.)
4. Depersonalize Team-Internal Conflict
• Focus on issues, not personalities • Encourage each side to objectively explain his/her bottom line requirements • Remind the team of ground rules while generating options
– No criticizing statements by other people until all ideas are posted
• Listen to other points of view • Encourage points of agreement • Don’t stifle new anger, but also don’t dwell on it
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/conflicts.html
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Conflict resolution tips: (cont.)
5. Structure Discussion
• Let each person state his/her view briefly • Have neutral team members reflect on areas of agreement/disagreement • Explore areas of disagreement for specific issues • Have opponents suggest modifications to their own points of view and others • If consensus is blocked, ask opponents if they can accept the team’s decision
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/conflicts.html
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6. Ask 10 Key Questions
1. What are we supposed to accomplish as a team? 2. What are each of our roles and responsibilities in accomplishing that goal? 3. Who and when does each of us need to get information from? 4. If we get into trouble, whom can we ask for help? 5. How will we arrive at decisions? 6. What strengths does each of us bring in? 7. How are we going to make ourselves more accessible to one another? 8. What are we doing that is blocking the resolution of this problem? 9. How can we express differences without blaming others? 10.Which behaviors are unproductive?
– How can we help individuals take ownership of their unproductive behavior? (Don’t excuse a team meber.)
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http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/conflicts.html