Conflict Resolution In Work Teams

9 Pages 2140 Words

n cause strained relationships, Potential for sub-groups to form, Teams can become exclusive rather than inclusive, May lead to unclear roles and “Group think” can limit innovation. The aforementioned disadvantages can severely limit the contribution work teams can bring to a business.
There is an inherent common denominator in work teams: People. Therefore, it is important to understand that the diversity people bring to their work teams is one of the greatest qualities that make a team strong and productive. At the same time, it is that same diversity that will present opportunities for conflict. Depending on how this conflict is handled, it could be either constructive or become destructive.
Conflict resolution in work teams then, becomes one of the most important tasks in managing work teams. The success demonstrated in conflict resolution will dictate the effectiveness of the work team. Initial conflict resolution attempts will serve as a model to be followed by the work team when future conflict situations arise. The degree demonstrated by the work team in successfully resolve conflict situations, will enable the team to evolve towards self-direction.
Based on Conflicts and cohesion in groups (UOP, 2003) there are 5 styles of conflicts: Avoidance, Accommodation, Competition, Compromise and Collaboration.
The avoidance conflict style is when the team members are unable or unwilling to achieve their own goals or the group’s goals. One of the most common forms of this type of conflict is when employees are not contributing to the work teams or team members that are not putting forth the same effort when projects are assigned. This conflict stems from several factors: People have different value systems. These values dictate their behavior in goal-achieving activities and tasks. While some people have a strong sense of responsibility, there could be other team members that are not willing to put as much eff...