Practical Tips to Resolve Project Management Conflicts

PRACTICAL TIPS
FOR RESOLVING
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
CONFLICTS
SATURDAY HALF DAY EDUCATION SESSION
 LAKESHORE PMI CHAPTER 
MISSISSAUGA  SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
PREPARED BY VITALIY FURSOV
© THE NORNS LABORATORIES, 2015

AGENDA
DEFINE CONFLICT
WHY STUDY CONFLICT?
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
SOURCES OF CONFLICT IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PERSONAL CONFLICT REACTION PROFILE
TYPES OF CONFLICT
EXERCISE AND DISCUSSION

SCHEDULE
9:00 9:30 30 min presentation
9:30 10:00 30 min group work
10:00 10:30 30 min reports, discussion
10:30 10:45 15 min break
10:45 11:00 15 min test
11:15 11:30 15 min reports, discussion
11:30 11:50 20 min presentation
12:10 12:30 20 min reports, discussions, questions

DEFINE
CONFLICT
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR RESOLVING PROJECT
MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS

17 HORSES

17 HORSES
3 SONS

1/2
1/3
1/9PREPARED BY VITALIY FURSOV

1/2 1/3 1/9
17 HORSES

CONFLICT
: THE PROBLEM BETWEEN OPPOSING FORCES IN
THE STORY:
- MAN VS. MAN
- MAN VS. NATURE
- MAN VS. SOCIETY
- MAN VS. SELF
LITERATURE CLASS

CONFLICT
: A STRUGGLE FOR POWER, PROPERTY, ETC.
: STRONG DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN PEOPLE,
GROUPS, ETC., THAT RESULTS IN OFTEN ANGRY
ARGUMENT
: A DIFFERENCE THAT PREVENTS AGREEMENT
: DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN IDEAS, FEELINGS, ETC.
MERRIAM-WEBSTER

DICTIONARY.COM

TWO MAN IN THE
SAME COUNTY
MARK HORSTMAN,
CO-FOUNDER OF MANAGER TOOLS

PROJECT
STAKEHOLDERS NOT
AGREED UPON GOALS
AND/OR PRIORITIES
VITALIY FURSOV

WHY STUDY
CONFLICT?

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN
WORKER SPENDS 2.8
HOURS A WEEK DEALING
WITH CONFLICT IN THE
OFFICE
A STUDY OF OVER 5,000 WORKERS COMPLETED BY
CONSAULTING PSYCHOLOGISTS PRESS IN 2014:

“CHRONIC UNRESOLVED
CONFLICT” IN THE OFFICE IS
THE DECIDING FACTOR IN 50%
OF CASES WHERE AN
EMPLOYEE CHOOSES TO LEAVE
THEIR JOB, AND IS ONE OF THE
PRIMARY CAUSES CITED IN 90%
OF TERMINATIONS

49% OF WORKERS
SURVEYED AGREED THAT
DIFFERENCES IN
PERSONALITY TRIGGERED
MOST OF THE
INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTS
IN THE OFFICE

42% OF EMPLOYEES FELT
THAT THEIR EMPLOYERS
NEEDED TO DO A BETTER
JOB OF ADDRESSING
PERSONAL CONFLICT IN
THE WORKPLACE

WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE?

PROJECT MANAGERS MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
CAUSING CONFLICT

SOURCES OF
CONFLICT IN
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT

SOURCES OF CONFLICTS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Knowledge Areas
Project Management Process
Groups

SOURCES OF CONFLICTS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Knowledge Areas
Project Management Process
Groups
Initiating
Planning
Executing
Monitoring
&
Controlling
Closing
Project Integration
Project Scope Mgmt
Project Time Mgmt
Project Cost Mgmt
Project Quality Mgmt
Project Human Resource Mgmt
Project Communication Mgmt
Project Risk Mgmt
Project Procurement Mgmt
Project Stakeholder Mgmt

1. DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS

2. PROJECT MANAGER MANAGEMENT STYLE

3. PROJECT TEAM HISTORY

4. SCOPE CHANGES

5. SCHEDULE CHANGES

6. PROJECT FAILURE (OR CANCELLATION)

7. DECLINED CHANGE REQUESTS

8. DISAGREEMENTS WITH VENDORS

9. DISPUTES OVER PROJECT MANAGEMENT
METHODOLOGY

10. DISAGREEMENT OVER COMMUNICATION
METHODS

CONFLICT
REACTION
PROFILE

1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES
3 = MOST OF THE TIME
SELF-ASSESSMENT

1. _____ I CAN BE
SWAYED TO SOMEONE
ELSE’S POINT OF
VIEW.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

2. _____ I SHUT DOWN
PEOPLE WHO I
DISAGREE WITH.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

3. _____ I ADDRESS THE
ISSUE AT HAND
DIPLOMATICALLY AND
DO NOT ATTACK THE
INDIVIDUAL.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

4. _____ I THINK THAT
OTHERS TRY TO
“BULLY” THEIR WAY
WITH ME.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

5. _____ I EXPRESS MY
THOUGHTS AND
BELIEFS TACTFULLY
WHEN THEY DIFFER
FROM THOSE JUST
EXPRESSED.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

6. _____ RATHER THAN
OFFER MY OPINION
WHEN I DISAGREE
WITH SOMEONE, I
KEEP IT TO MYSELF.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

7. _____ I LISTEN TO
OTHER PEOPLE’S
POINT OF VIEW WITH
AN OPEN MIND.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

8. _____ I LET MY
EMOTIONS GET THE
BEST OF ME.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

9. _____ I RAISE MY
VOICE TO MAKE MY
POINT.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

10. _____ I TEND TO
BELITTLE OTHER
PEOPLE WHEN
MAKING MY POINT.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

11. _____ I LOOK FOR
WAYS TO NEGOTIATE
AND COMPROMISE
WITH OTHERS.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

12. _____ I HAVE BEEN
TOLD I AM TOO
PUSHY.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

13. _____ I MAKE SURE
I HAVE MY OPINION
HEARD IN ANY
CONTROVERSY.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

14. _____ I THINK
CONFLICT IN
MEETINGS IS
NECESSARY.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

15. _____ I AM THE
MOST VOCAL IN
MEETINGS WHEN
TRYING TO GET MY
POINT ACROSS.
1 = SELDOM
2 = SOMETIMES

SCORING: ADD THE TOTAL SCORE FROM
QUESTIONS 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15
SUBTRACT THE SUM OF THE SCORE FROM
QUESTIONS 3, 5, 7, 11
TOTAL:
A: 1-4
B: 5-10
C: 11+
CONFLICT REACTION PROFILE SCORE

GROUP
WORK

SCORE 1-4
GROUP A

1-4: "PASSIVE" YOU MAY BE SUCH A
PUSHOVER THAT YOU ALLOW
DIFFICULT PEOPLE TO WALK ALL OVER
YOU.
YOU MAY BENEFIT FROM LEARNING TO
STAND UP FOR YOUR IDEAS AND
OPINIONS IN A DIPLOMATIC AND
TACTFUL WAY.
WHAT DOES YOUR SCORE MEAN?

SCORE 5-10
GROUP B

5-10: “ASSERTIVE”
YOU ARE PROFESSIONALLY ASSERTIVE
WHEN DEALING WITH PEOPLE,
PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT PEOPLE.
CONTINUE TO BE OPEN TO LISTENING
TO DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, AND
EXPRESS YOUR IDEAS AND OPINIONS
APPROPRIATELY.

SCORE 11+
GROUP C

11+: "AGGRESSIVE"
YOU MAY BE SO COMBATIVE THAT
PEOPLE MIGHT AVOID INTERACTING
WITH YOU.
YOU MAY BENEFIT FROM LEARNING TO
LISTEN AND EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS
MORE EFFECTIVELY.

TYPES OF
CONFLICT

4 TYPES OF CONFLICT
Conflicts
Interpersonal
Process
Direction
External

HOW MUCH DO MY PERSONAL BIASES AND PREJUDICES
AFFECT THIS SITUATION?
INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT

IDENTIFY 3 BEHAVIOURS THAT YOU COULD CHANGE -
COMMIT TO FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THESE CHANGES
FOR AT LEAST 3 MONTHS

ASK THE OTHER PERSON INVOLVED HOW YOU COULD
DEFUSE THE EXISTING CONFLICT THAT MIGHT SEEM
BRUTALLY HONEST

HOW DO YOU THINK THEY VIEW YOUR COMMITMENT TO
REDUCING CONFLICT? WHY?

5 STRENGTHS OF THE OTHER PERSON & 5 WAYS THAT
IMPROVING THIS RELATIONSHIP WOULD BENEFIT YOU

HOW MUCH CONTROL DO I HAVE OVER
THIS 'PROCESS CONFLICT'?
PROCESS CONFLICT

IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM
AND ANALYZE THE IMPROVEMENT
OPPORTUNITY
PROCESS CONFLICT

TALK TO THE "OWNER" OF THE PROCESS AND
CLARIFY THE PROBLEM
PROCESS CONFLICT

SUGGEST A WORKABLE SOLUTION AND
ACTION PLAN
PROCESS CONFLICT

FOLLOW-THROUGH ON THE PLAN AND
EMPOWER THE "OWNER" OF THE PROCESS
PROCESS CONFLICT

AM I CLEAR ON THE DIRECTION OR VISION?
DIRECTION CONFLICT

CLARIFY THE DISCREPANCY TO BE EASILY
DESCRIBED IN NEUTRAL WORDS AND TAKE
ACTION
DIRECTION CONFLICT

ASK PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE
DISCREPANCY WITH THE OTHER SIDE IN A
FRIENDLY, NON-CONFRONTATIONAL WAY AND
GAIN AGREEMENT
DIRECTION CONFLICT

USE "I" AND "WE" MESSAGES RATHER THAN
"YOU" MESSAGES
DIRECTION CONFLICT

MAKE AUTHENTIC COMMITMENTS
DIRECTION CONFLICT

HOW MUCH CONTROL DO I HAVE OVER THIS
FACTOR?
EXTERNAL CONFLICT

CHOOSE TO FIGHT BATTLES THAT ARE WORTH
THE PRICE
EXTERNAL CONFLICT

PUT YOUR ENERGY INTO THINGS YOU "CAN
DO" RATHER THAN COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT
YOU "CAN'T DO"
EXTERNAL CONFLICT

DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR OTHERS
EXTERNAL CONFLICT

MAINTAIN PERSPECTIVE AND A SENSE OF
PURPOSE
EXTERNAL CONFLICT

TALK TO SOMEONE YOU TRUST
EXTERNAL CONFLICT

EXERCISE
AND
DISCUSSION

1/2 1/3 1/9
18 HORSES

1/2 1/3 1/9
18 HORSES
9 6 2

1/2 1/3 1/9
18 HORSES
9 + 6 + 2
17 PREPARED BY VITALIY FURSOV

THE ATTITUDE OF NEGOTIATION AND
PROBLEM SOLVING IS TO FIND THE
PROVERBIAL "18TH HORSE" OR
"COMMON GROUND"
ONCE THE "COMMON GROUND" IS
FOUND, THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED
MORALE

TO REACH A SOLUTION, THE FIRST
STEP IS TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A
SOLUTION
MORALE

Practical Tips to Resolve Project Management Conflicts

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