A group can only be called a team if the members are actively working together toward a common goal. A team must have the capability to set goals, make decisions, solve problems, and share responsibilities. For a team to be successful, trust must be earned between its members by being consistent and reliable (Temme & Katzel, 2005). When more than one person is working on a particular task, inconsistent views or opinions commonly arise. People come from different backgrounds and live through different life experiences therefore, even when working towards a common goal, they will not always see eye to eye. Major conflict that is not dealt with can devastate a team or organization (Make Conflict Work, 2008). In some situations, conflict can be more constructive than destructive. Recognizing the difference between conflict that is constructive to the team and conflict that is destructive to the team is important. Trying to prevent the conflict is not always the best way to manage conflict when working within a team setting. Understanding conflict, what causes it, and how to resolve conflict effectively, should consume full concentration. Understanding Conflict Before understanding how to deal with conflict, one must understand what conflict is. Conflict can be defined as, “any situation in which incompatible goals, cognitions, or emotions within or between individuals or groups lead to opposition or antagonistic interaction” (Learning Team Toolkit, 2004, pp 242-243). Does the idea of conflict always have to carry a negative connotation? The growth and development of society would be a great deal slower if people never challenged each other’s ideas. The Learning Team Toolkit discusses three different views of conflict: traditiona... ... middle of paper ... ...s, Parents, Teachers Team up to Work on Conflict Resolution Skills: [FINAL Edition]. Seattle Times, p. B4. Retrieved March 21, 2015, from ProQuest Central database. (Document ID: 49058162). Make conflict work. (2008, May 24). Winnipeg Free Press, G.1. Retrieved March 14, 2015, from ProQuest Central database. (Document ID: 1485216051). Peden, T. (26 June). Lessons in leadership: New program teaches students life skills. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Retrieved March 14, 2015, from Business Dateline database. (Document ID: 1500668231). Temme, J. & Katzel, J. (2005). Calling a team a team doesn't mean that it is: Successful teamwork must be a way of life. Plant Engineering, 49(1), 112-114. University of Phoenix. (2004). Learning Team Toolkit. Available on the University of Phoenix student/faculty website: http://ecampus.phoenix.edu (March 14, 2015).
Conerly (2004), further states two things attribute to the way conflict is managed. One is the importance of meeting your own goals and the other is the importance you attribute to relationships and wanting to get along with others.
Resolving conflict is an art of communication as co-operation helps reduce anger, stress and frustration, allowing the team to function properly making them more productive.
Four sources of conflict presented by Lamberton & Minor (2014) are content, values, negotiation-of-selves and institutionalized will be discussed. Awareness of and knowing what causes conflict is important in strategizing ideas and plans to resolve them. Explanations and examples of these four sources will follow. The outcome and process of resolving conflict can affect what direction and success we achieve personally and
Furlong, G. T. (2005). The conflict resolution toolbox: Models and maps for analyzing, diagnosing, and resolving conflict. Ontario, Canada: John Wiley & Sons.
Whenever people unite to work as a team for anything more than a brief duration, some conflict is normal, and should be expected (Engleberg, Wynn & Schutter, 2003). Because of the inevitability of conflict, being able to recognize, address, and ultimately resolve it is vitally important, since unresolved conflict may have undesirable effects, including reduced morale, or increased turnover (De Janasz, Dowd & Schneider, 2001). Just as conflicts within team environments vary, so do methods for resolving it. In this paper, conflict, its effects, and some management and resolution strategies as they relate to team dynamics will be discussed. Understanding the various conflict resolution methods, including how and when to apply them, is of utmost importance. In teams, different types of conflict call for different solutions. Conflict resolution is certainly not an area in which one size fits all.
When I first stepped into my role as a Learning Technologies Specialist, I was highly focused on self-achievement and naturally inclined towards working alone. My continued personal and professional growth has challenged my thinking because I am starting to see the role of collaboration in setting a vision, managing conflict, and influencing others. I am beginning to see the value in disagreement and healthy conflict in productive teams. For example, I have a colleague who is always challenging my thoughts, opinions, and decisions. At first, I saw this colleague as cold, uncaring, and rude; however, over time, I have begun to realize that this individual has been essential to my professional growth and development. Unfortunately, my fear of conflict has prevented me from seeing that people with high relationship management skills realize the value and influence of others in setting the foundation for productive
Furlong, G. T. (2005). The conflict resolution toolbox: Models and maps for analyzing, diagnosing, and resolving conflict. Ontario, Canada: John Wiley & Sons.
A team is defined as “a set of people (random or chosen) that are working together to perform a task” (Pauschmann, 2012). Being a part of a team involves a lot more than many people may think. There needs to be communication, structure within the team, certain rules that need to be followed,
Heathfield, Susan M. "How (and Why) to Hone Your Conflict Resolution Skills." The Balance. About, Inc., 15 Sept. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
Wilson and Kolb (1949) cited in (Colser, 1964) trusted that conflict has a “disjunctive” effect. Some other scholars have agreed with this view for instance, Park and Burgess (1991) and Simmel (1955) each communication among the people is an interaction so it is conflict (cited Colser, 1964). Many of scholars take conflict positively as it is a means to resolve and avert totally splitting or separation. Bohannan (1967: XI-XIV) believed that conflict to be basic as culture is in society (Thakore, D. 2013) that might lead the society and control the social problems with better cultural progress and care of social orders. Schellenberg (1996) stated that, conflict is a flexible approach therefore, it can be used positively and negatively both however it is neither bad not good but it is most significant in human social
Conflict theory describes a social structure prone to constant erosion and change. Here, social change is pervasive through inherent conflicts built into the system itself. Similarly, conflict management approaches view the conflict that arises among member of small groups as inevitable and inherent in the small group itself. Sooner or later, two people will disagree, perhaps to
Abigail, R. A., & Cahn, D. D. (2011). Managing conflict through communication. 4th Ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Stewart, G., Manz, C., & Sims, H., (1999). Teamwork and Group Dynamics. New York: Wiley. pp. 70- 125.
Conflicts and disputes are one of the major aspects in society that need to be dealt with on a regular basis. When these conflicts and disputes arise in the workforce, at home, in an institute, or/and in public, there needs to be some form of resolution in order to resolve and maintain a peaceful environment. Conflicts are a part of a healthy relationship, however at times, these conflicts need to be resolved using a conflict resolution process. Although there are several processes that can be used to solve conflicts, mediation and advocacy are two of the most common conflict resolution processes that can be utilized to come to a harmonious conclusion or resolution. Even though mediation and advocacy may seem to fall under the same category, these two are individually and specifically used for certain problematic scenarios as they both uniquely utilize distinctive skills and steps.
Working in teams provides an opportunity for individuals to come together and establish a rapport towards others within a group. Teamwork is classified as people with different strengths and skills who work together to achieve a common goal. When a team works well, specific objectives are fulfilled and satisfied. Teamwork plays a crucial role in implementing and fulfilling a common goal in a team project. Each member plays a role and takes on different responsibilities combined together. In different stages of teamwork, conflicts and arguments may occur for as members have different standpoints which need to be harmonized within the team. The key to having an effective teamwork is to explore each member's unique abilities to motivate them.