Team Conflict Resolution From A Psychological Perspective

18/12/2024

In any team, conflicts and disputes are inevitable. These can negatively affect group cohesion and productivity. With the right mindset and smart strategies from applied psychology, good leaders can turn discord into chances. This helps boost creativity and build stronger teamwork.

What Is Conflict?

Hocker and Wilmot (2001) say that conflict happens when two parties depend on each other. They have different goals or views about the limited resources needed to reach those goals. Let’s break down this definition for better understanding.

First, it must be expressed outwardly. If two team members dislike each other or disagree but do not show it, it is not a conflict.

Second, it occurs between parties that are interdependent or need to collaborate to achieve common goals. If each party can accomplish its objectives independently, their differing approaches would not lead to disputes.

Lastly, contradictions arise when people have different desires or methods to achieve their goals. For example, Party A wants to achieve X, while Party B aims for Y. If both cannot achieve their desired outcomes or the extent to which they want, disagreement will occur.

Types Of Team Conflict

Identifying and categorizing the types of conflicts is the first step to resolving them effectively. According to Kelly (2006), there are five types of conflict at work:

Task Conflict: This occurs when team members have differing views on how to perform a task. For instance, two individuals disagreeing on the method of execution are experiencing task conflict.
Value Conflict: This often arises when team members have differing or contradicting value systems or prioritize different principles. For example, one might believe attitude is more important than skills in the workplace, while others may disagree.
Process Conflict: This happens when members disagree on how to achieve a shared goal. For instance, one might prefer strict adherence to rules and timelines, while another finds it unnecessary.
Perceptual Conflict: This arises due to misunderstandings about others’ actions or emotions. For example, realizing you misjudged someone’s idea after a discussion.
Relational Conflict: Also called personality conflict, it relates to ego and self-esteem. These are often rooted in competition for status and are harder to resolve due to their nature.

Preventing And Mitigating Conflicts

When disagreement arises, team members can adopt various measures to enhance teamwork skills and minimize or resolve those. These measures are typically categorized into two types: preventive actions and conflict mitigation strategies.

Conflict Prevention Strategies

Let’s start with techniques to prevent conflicts in teamwork. Preventing is often much easier than resolving it. Here are some effective techniques based on applied psychology:

Emphasize Team Goals And Outcomes: Focusing on the group’s objectives can prevent task disputes. Highlighting overarching goals encourages members to see the bigger picture and collaborate for the company’s success.

Clearly Defined Roles: Clarity and transparency are indispensable teamwork skills. When everyone understands their responsibilities, goals, and agreed-upon rules, disagreement is less likely to occur.
Foster Dialogue: Misunderstandings about others' capabilities, objectives, and motivations often lead to friction. Promoting open communication and sharing information among team members helps eliminate these misunderstandings. Greater mutual understanding reduces doubts and fosters collaboration.
Avoid Win-Lose Scenarios: To minimize discord, avoid creating situations where one must win at another’s expense. When everyone feels they can achieve part of their goals without sacrificing too much, disagreement becomes less likely.

Conflict Mitigation Strategies

When discord occurs, you have two approaches: change behavior or change attitudes. Changing behavior can resolve it quickly, but team members may still not like each other.

Changing attitudes, on the other hand, can create significant, lasting changes. However, this takes time and a change in the way society thinks. Here are some effective ways to resolve it:

Physical Separation: The quickest and simplest way to reduce conflict is to prevent direct interaction between parties. This works well for tasks that require minimal collaboration.
Rules and Regulations: Establishing group rules can reduce conflict without requiring changes in attitudes. When everyone understands expectations and adheres to set guidelines, conflicts decrease significantly.

Limit Group Interactions: Leaders should identify and define a common objective for each group. Agreement on these goals facilitates collaboration.
Use A Mediator: A neutral individual can bridge gaps between team members or groups. Both parties must respect the mediator and stay well-informed.
Confrontation And Negotiation: Host open discussions to find win-win solutions. These meetings allow participants to share perspectives, propose ideas, and listen, ultimately arriving at mutually acceptable resolutions.
Third-Party Consultation: Seek advice from external advisors who can act as mediators and offer unbiased insights.

Rotate Team Members: Encourage mutual understanding and improve communication by rotating members between groups. This fosters creativity and boosts team efficiency.
Interdependent Tasks And Goals: Set collective objectives requiring collaboration and coordination among all groups. This reduces conflict and promotes teamwork.

In teamwork, conflicts are unavoidable, but with careful handling, they can become opportunities to build a positive work environment and achieve group objectives.

Understanding the causes, types, and effective conflict resolution methods with collective psychology is the key. Hopefully, this article equips you with the necessary knowledge and skills to resolve team conflicts successfully.

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