This document discusses managing conflict within teams. It addresses why a lack of conflict can be problematic for teams and identifies healthy and unhealthy sources of conflict. It also discusses different approaches to conflict resolution such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and avoiding or addressing conflict. The document emphasizes that conflict is a normal part of teams when it is focused on tasks rather than personal attacks, and that some level of disagreement and questioning among team members is acceptable and can lead to better outcomes than suppressed conflict. It provides frameworks for understanding the nature of conflict and strategies for constructively addressing disagreements.

1. GROUPS AND
TEAMS
ADLT 675, Class Session 3
February 14, 2017

2. Managing conflict
■ Why is the lack of conflict a sign of a problem in a team?
■ What are the healthy and unhealthy sources of conflict?
■ What are the different approaches to conflict resolution?
■ How is negotiation different from mediation and
arbitration?
■ What are the pros and cons of third-party interventions in
a conflict?

3. Lack of
COMMITMENT
Absence of
TRUST
Fear of
CONFLICT
Avoidance of
ACCOUNTABILITY
Inattention
to
RESULTS
The Five
Dysfunctions
of a Team Source:
Lencioni, P. (2005).
Overcoming the five
dysfunctions of a
team.

4. TRUST
TRUST
Great teams trust
one another, are
willing to be
vulnerable about
their weaknesses,
mistakes, fears, and
behaviors.
They can be open
with each other

5. TRUST
CONFLICT
Teams that trust one
another are not
afraid of passionate
dialogue around
issues and
decisions that are
key to success.
They do not
hesitate to disagree,
challenge, and
question one
another.
CONFLICT

6. Artificial
Harmony
Mean-
spirited
personal
attacks
Ideal
Conflict
Point
Constructive Destructive
THE CONFLICT CONTINUUM
Take a look at your team charter comments on conflict:
• Have you built in some conflict norms?
• How is the group is going to mine for conflict?
• How will you give each other “real time” permission to engage in conflict?

7. True or False?
The nature of conflict
 Conflict is bad and should
be avoided
 Team members
misunderstanding one
another causes conflict.
 All conflicts can be
resolved to everyone’s
satisfaction.
True or False?
 False – conflict is a normal part of
a teams’ life
 False – conflict is when people
perceive others have taken
actions that have a negative
effect on their interests
 False – some conflicts cannot be
resolved; however agreement can
usually be reached about tasks.

8. Sources of Conflict
Healthy Conflict
 Focused on task issues
 Legitimate differences of
opinion about the task
 Differences in values and
perspectives
 Difference expectations
about the impact of
decisions
Unhealthy Conflict
 Competition over power,
rewards, and resources
 Conflict between individual and
group goals
 Poorly run team meetings
 Personal grudges from the past
 Faulty communications

9. Conflict resolution approaches –
Thomas- Kilman Model
Confrontation
Compromise
Collaboration
Avoidance Accommodation
high
Assertiveness
Cooperativeness
low high

10. Negotiation strategies
■ Separate the people from the problem
■ Focus on shared interests of all parties
■ Develop many options that can be used to
solve the problem
■ Evaluate the options using objective criteria
■ Try again

11. WHAT DOES IT MEANTO “HELP”?
• Chapters 1, 2, and 3: Each team takes one chapter
• Discuss for 15-20 minutes
• Come up with 2-3 slides about the nature of helping –
add to this PowerPoint presentation
• One person from each team presents