Conflict Management Strategies

Conflict Management Strategies:

Conflict is inevitable in a project environment.
If managed properly, differences of opinion can lead to increased creativity and better decisions. 

Sources of conflict include

• scarce resources, 
• scheduling priorities,
• personal work styles. 

If the differences become a negative factor, the process could be:

1. project team members are initially responsible for their resolution. 
2. the project manager should help facilitate a satisfactory resolution
3. formal procedures may be used, including disciplinary actions

Factors that influence conflict resolution methods include:

• Importance and intensity of the conflict, 
• Time pressure for resolving the conflict, 
• Relative power of the people involved in the conflict, 
• Importance of maintaining a good relationship, 
• Motivation to resolve conflict on a long-term or short-term basis.

Five techniques for resolving conflict. (Each technique has its place and use):

Withdraw/avoid. Retreating from an actual or potential conflict situation; postponing the issue to be better prepared or to be resolved by others.

Smooth/accommodate. Emphasizing areas of agreement rather than areas of difference; conceding one’s position to the needs of others to maintain harmony and relationships. 

Compromise/reconcile. Searching for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to all parties in order to temporarily or partially resolve the conflict. This approach occasionally results in a lose-lose situation. 

Force/direct. Pushing one’s viewpoint at the expense of others; offering only win-lose solutions, usually enforced through a power position to resolve an emergency. This approach often results to a win-lose situation. 
 

Collaborate/problem solve. Incorporating multiple viewpoints and insights from differing perspectives; requires a cooperative attitude and open dialogue that typically leads to consensus and commitment. This approach can result in a win-win situation.