conflict resolution for teams

CONFLICT RESOLUTION CONFLICT RESOLUTION FOR TEAMSFOR TEAMS

ASQ Austin Section 1414ASQ Austin Section 1414

Presented ByPresented By

Donald McLachlanDonald McLachlan

SilverQuest Consulting GroupSilverQuest Consulting Group

Copyright 2009 SilverQuest Copyright 2009 SilverQuest Consulting GroupConsulting Group

CHARACTERISTICS OF CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH PERFORMING TEAMSHIGH PERFORMING TEAMS

• Common PurposeCommon Purpose• Crystal Clear RolesCrystal Clear Roles• Accepted LeadershipAccepted Leadership• Effective ProcessesEffective Processes• Solid RelationshipsSolid Relationships• Effective Effective

CommunicationCommunication

The Performance Factor The Performance Factor Author: Pat McMillanAuthor: Pat McMillan


PROJECT TEAMS IN PROJECT TEAMS IN TROUBLETROUBLE

• 51% of IT Teams are seriously late, over 51% of IT Teams are seriously late, over budget, and off goal budget, and off goal Standish Group Survey 2004Standish Group Survey 2004

• Over 65% of performance problems result from Over 65% of performance problems result from strained relationships between employeesstrained relationships between employeesReidar HansenReidar Hansen


DEFINITION OF DEFINITION OF TEAM CONFLICTTEAM CONFLICT

• GeneralGeneral—when someone on the team feels —when someone on the team feels bad about something related to the teambad about something related to the team

• SpecificSpecific—a condition between one or more —a condition between one or more members of a team who feel bad (anger, members of a team who feel bad (anger, frustration, depression) and manifest frustration, depression) and manifest behaviors (defensiveness, stonewalling, behaviors (defensiveness, stonewalling, criticism) that negatively affect the team’s criticism) that negatively affect the team’s performanceperformance


PERSONAL RESPONSES TO PERSONAL RESPONSES TO CONFLICTCONFLICT

METHOMETHODD

MY WAYMY WAYCoerceCoerce

NO WAYNO WAYEvadeEvade

YOUR YOUR WAYWAYAcquiesceAcquiesce

HALFWAYHALFWAYCompromiCompromisese

OUR WAYOUR WAYCollaboratCollaboratee

ATTITUDATTITUDEE

I’ll get I’ll get him/herhim/her

I’ll get I’ll get outout

I’ll give inI’ll give in I’ll meet I’ll meet you you halfwayhalfway

I care I care and I will and I will work with work with youyou

BASISBASIS I WinI Win

You LoseYou LoseI always I always avoid avoid conflictconflict

I’ll yield to I’ll yield to keep your keep your friendshipfriendship

I will I will make a make a deal deal

I respect I respect you & will you & will resolve resolve conflictconflict

VALUEVALUE Goal Goal overover

PeoplePeople

Safety & Safety & No RiskNo Risk

People People over Goalover Goal

Partial Partial value for value for Goal & Goal & PeoplePeople

High High Value for Value for Goal & Goal & PeoplePeople


SMALL GROUP SMALL GROUP BREAKOUTBREAKOUT

Your Team ConflictsYour Team Conflicts• What team What team

conflicts have you conflicts have you encountered?encountered?

• How did you How did you resolve those resolve those conflicts?conflicts?

• What would you do What would you do differently?differently?


SYMPTOMS AND SOURCES SYMPTOMS AND SOURCES OF CONFLICTOF CONFLICT

SYMPTOMSSYMPTOMS—arguments —arguments over . . over . .

• GoalsGoals—fuzzy or unrealistic—fuzzy or unrealistic

• RolesRoles—unclear or —unclear or

unacceptableunacceptable

• Resource Allocation—Resource Allocation—

insufficient or inefficientinsufficient or inefficient

• LeadershipLeadership—weak —weak

process for task and process for task and

relationship managementrelationship management

SOURCES—SOURCES—different . . .different . . .

• PrioritiesPriorities

Solution: Develop a Powerful Solution: Develop a Powerful Mission StatementMission Statement

• RolesRoles

Solution: Create Role Solution: Create Role WorksheetsWorksheets

• ValuesValues

Solution: Improve Solution: Improve Communication & CooperationCommunication & Cooperation

• PersonalityPersonality

Solution: Recognize differencesSolution: Recognize differences

& Build on Strengths& Build on StrengthsCopyright 2009 SilverQuest Copyright 2009 SilverQuest

Consulting GroupConsulting Group

DEVELOP A POWERFUL DEVELOP A POWERFUL Team Mission StatementTeam Mission Statement

• ClearClear—I can see it —I can see it and I can say itand I can say it

• CommonCommon—I believe —I believe it and share itit and share it

• CompellingCompelling—I am —I am motivated to achieve motivated to achieve itit

• ConciseConcise—I know —I know when we have when we have achieved successachieved success

GOOD EXAMPLES:GOOD EXAMPLES:• Develop and implement Develop and implement

strategy to increase gross strategy to increase gross margins on product by 3% margins on product by 3% by 9/1/2008by 9/1/2008

• Design a product Design a product development process that development process that reduces idea time to reduces idea time to market from 24 to 10 market from 24 to 10 months with same quality months with same quality standards.standards.

• Design and implement a Design and implement a team-based compensation team-based compensation strategy by 11/1/2007strategy by 11/1/2007


CREATE ROLE WORKSHEETSCREATE ROLE WORKSHEETS

R = Responsible PersonR = Responsible Person C = Person to be ConsultedC = Person to be Consulted

S = Sponsor supportS = Sponsor support I = Person to be InformedI = Person to be Informed

POSITION WORKSHEETPOSITION WORKSHEETFor Quality ManagerFor Quality Manager

WORKWORK

ELEMENELEMENTT

QualityQuality

ManageManagerr

SalesSales

RepRepProductProduct

ManageManagerr

Identify Identify

ObjectiveObjectivess

RR CC CC

Collect Collect DataData

RR SS CC

PresentPresent

ResultsResultsRR II II

PROCESS WORKSHEETPROCESS WORKSHEETFor Customer Relationship For Customer Relationship

Mgt.Mgt.WORKWORK

ELEMENELEMENTT

QualityQuality

ManageManagerr

SalesSales

RepRepProductProduct

ManageManagerr

DevelopDevelop

TeamTeamSS RR II

Design Design

ProductProductCC II RR

EvaluateEvaluate

ResultsResultsRR CC CC


ACTUAL PERFORMANCE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONSEVALUATIONS

• Since my last report, this employee has reached Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.rock bottom and has started to dig.

• His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity.morbid curiosity.

• I would not allow this employee to breed.I would not allow this employee to breed.

• This associate is really not so much of a has-been, This associate is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definitely won't-be.but more of a definitely won't-be.

• Works well when under constant supervision and Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.cornered like a rat in a trap.

• When she opens her mouth, it seems that this is When she opens her mouth, it seems that this is only to change whichever foot was previously in only to change whichever foot was previously in there.there.


IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONIMPROVE COMMUNICATIONfor Conflict Resolutionfor Conflict Resolution

• Meaning is conveyed through Meaning is conveyed through more than wordsmore than words

• Make statements and only Make statements and only ask questions for informationask questions for information

• Use “I” instead of “You”Use “I” instead of “You”

• Anger is a demand that Anger is a demand that others meet our demandsothers meet our demands

Negotiate demands that matterNegotiate demands that matter

Cancel demands that don’t Cancel demands that don’t mattermatter

• Caring must come before Caring must come before confrontationconfrontation

Simplicity of SpeechSimplicity of Speech

Empathy of AttitudeEmpathy of Attitude

Honesty of ResponseHonesty of Response Copyright 2009 SilverQuest Copyright 2009 SilverQuest Consulting GroupConsulting Group

FOCUS YOUR FEEDBACKFOCUS YOUR FEEDBACK

• On the action not the actorOn the action not the actor

• On your observations not your conclusionsOn your observations not your conclusions

• On descriptions not judgmentsOn descriptions not judgments

• On quantity not qualityOn quantity not quality

• On ideas, information and alternatives not advice On ideas, information and alternatives not advice and answersand answers

• On what you can give the other person not on On what you can give the other person not on what you can releasewhat you can release

• On the other person’s best time and place for a On the other person’s best time and place for a conversation rather than your best time and placeconversation rather than your best time and place

• On questions of “what” and “how” instead of On questions of “what” and “how” instead of “why”“why” Copyright 2009 SilverQuest Copyright 2009 SilverQuest

Consulting GroupConsulting Group

LEARN COOPERATION LEARN COOPERATION FROM THE ANIMALSFROM THE ANIMALS

• Order Order

• CooperationCooperation

• EntrainmentEntrainment

• Human BrainHuman Brain


SMALL GROUP BREAKOUTSMALL GROUP BREAKOUTResolving Conflict Case StudyResolving Conflict Case Study

• What are the What are the conflicts here?conflicts here?

• How would you How would you resolve the resolve the conflicts?conflicts?

• Is there any Is there any downside to downside to resolving the resolving the conflict?conflict?


MEYERS BRIGGS PERSONALITY MEYERS BRIGGS PERSONALITY TYPESTYPES

EXTRAVERTEXTRAVERTPeople EnergyPeople Energy

INTROVERTINTROVERTProject EnergyProject Energy

SENSORSENSORConcrete and Concrete and

SpecificSpecific

INTUITIVEINTUITIVEPatterns and MeaningPatterns and Meaning

THINKERTHINKERLogic and AnalysisLogic and Analysis

FEELERFEELERHarmony and ValuesHarmony and Values

JUDGERJUDGERStructure and Structure and

ControlControl

PERCEIVERPERCEIVERFlexibility and OptionsFlexibility and Options


PERSONALITY IN PERSONALITY IN CONFLICT RESOLUTIONCONFLICT RESOLUTION

ARTISANS (SP)—FOXARTISANS (SP)—FOX

CleverClever

OpportunisticOpportunistic

Find the HighwaysFind the Highways

GUARDIANS (SJ)—BEAVERGUARDIANS (SJ)—BEAVER

Work Hard for CommunityWork Hard for Community

Watch over GroupWatch over Group

Guard the Gateways Guard the Gateways

RATIONALS (NT)—OWL RATIONALS (NT)—OWL

Keen InsightKeen Insight

Focus on ResultsFocus on Results

Analyze the IntersectionsAnalyze the Intersections

IDEALISTS (NF)—DOLPHINIDEALISTS (NF)—DOLPHIN

Explain Life’s MeaningExplain Life’s Meaning

Cooperate and CommunicateCooperate and Communicate

Pursue the PathwaysPursue the Pathways


STEPS TO RESOLVE STEPS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTCONFLICT

1.1. Identify the Problem—Identify the Problem—separate it from the separate it from the people involved—use cause and effect analysispeople involved—use cause and effect analysis

2.2. Gather and Analyze Data—Gather and Analyze Data—fact-based fact-based managementmanagement

3.3. Clarify the Interests of Parties—Clarify the Interests of Parties—as opposed as opposed to the positions of partiesto the positions of parties

4.4. Determine Objective Criteria to Evaluate Determine Objective Criteria to Evaluate Fairness of Outcomes—Fairness of Outcomes—boundary conditionsboundary conditions

5.5. Identify New and Creative OptionsIdentify New and Creative Options—to —to resolve the conflictresolve the conflict

6.6. Choose an Option—Choose an Option—using team decision-using team decision-making tools such as:making tools such as:Nominal Group Technique or MultivotingNominal Group Technique or Multivoting


RULES OF ENGAGEMENTRULES OF ENGAGEMENT

• The environment for sharing facts and feelings will The environment for sharing facts and feelings will be safe—no judgments or personal attacks but be safe—no judgments or personal attacks but listening and understandinglistening and understanding

• Everyone involved will have an opportunity to Everyone involved will have an opportunity to speak and give inputspeak and give input

• No decision will be made until all the facts are No decision will be made until all the facts are investigatedinvestigated

• The resolution of conflict will be based on a fair, The resolution of conflict will be based on a fair, consistent processconsistent process

• After the decision is made we will make a round After the decision is made we will make a round robin survey of all team members to gauge robin survey of all team members to gauge satisfactionsatisfaction


SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMESSUCCESSFUL OUTCOMESFOR CONFLICT RESOLUTIONFOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION

• Did you identify the issues which required Did you identify the issues which required a decision?a decision?

• Did you make a decision?Did you make a decision?

• Did you reduce tension in the team?Did you reduce tension in the team?

• Did you help team members develop skills Did you help team members develop skills to manage conflict in the future?to manage conflict in the future?

• Did everyone involved have the chance to Did everyone involved have the chance to speak and give input?speak and give input?


THE FINISH LINETHE FINISH LINE

• Stay for QuestionsStay for Questions

• Contact InformationContact InformationDonald McLachlanDonald McLachlan

SilverQuest Consulting SilverQuest Consulting GroupGroup

520 Wolf Road 520 Wolf Road

Georgetown, Texas 78628Georgetown, Texas 78628

[email protected] www.silverquest.com


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.silverquest.com/

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