Conflict Management in Teams
Ideally in our work and personal lives there would be no conflict and everyone would get along harmoniously. We all know this is not the case therefore, we must know why conflict arises and what strategies we can use to resolve it. When bringing together different people into a team environment there are no guarantees that everyone will get along 100% of the time. Understanding how conflict manifests itself and strategies to resolve it are useful skills for anyone in the world today.
Sources of Conflict
Wayne Turk states his favorite definition of conflict "is when two or more people perceive that they have incompatible or opposing ideas, interests or needs, or external or internal demands" (Turk, 2007, p.1). According to Julie Gatlin, Allen Wysocki and Karl Kepni in "Understanding Conflict in the Workplace" (University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences Website) there are eight common causes of conflict.
Conflicting Needs- Often when teammates have to share limited resources conflict arises when other team members are getting more than their fair share. This can be real or perceived either way conflict can arise from this mix. I know in my profession favoritism real or perceived can be a major morale killer and it also feeds the gossip mill which often causes more conflict.
Conflicting Styles- Oscar and Felix from "The Odd Couple" are a prime example. Two very different styles come together and, for 5 seasons a sitcom was based on their "team" conflict (Marshall, 1970). Whether it's neat or organized, assertive or passive different styles can cause roadblocks for many teams.
Conflicting Perceptions- Everyone h ...