Teams bring together different personalities, ways of working and interests. Friction and disagreement are therefore inevitable. The ability to resolve these conflicts constructively is a key competency for leaders and team members.
What exactly defines a conflict?
Let's start from the beginning: What exactly is a conflict? After all, not every disagreement is automatically a conflict. According to Friedrich Glasl (1994), a conflict only exists if:
- there are differences in views and interests, and
- these differences are perceived as irreconcilable by the parties concerned, and
- appropriate actions will follow.
The parties involved must therefore believe that their interests are incompatible with each other and therefore interfere with each other's actions.
Team Conflicts: Identifying, Understanding and Resolving Conflicts
In teams with different characters, values, and work styles, friction is inevitable. The ability to resolve these conflicts constructively is therefore a key competency for managers.
Seeing conflicts as an opportunity
Conflicts are not negative per se, but can fulfil positive functions:
- Fostering joint discussion
- Initiating change
- Strengthening the team identity
- Enabling new perspectives
The 4 phases of the conflict process
Typically, conflicts go through the following phases:
- Discussion: Factual discussion of the difference of opinion
- Overlay: Emotions come into play, personal attacks and insinuations
- Escalation: spiral of aggression, mutual harm
- Chronification: exhausted opponents, discord in the background
Leadership responsibility in conflict management
Leaders play a key role in dealing with conflicts:
- Prevention: Creating structures that make conflicts less likely
- Perception: Observing dynamics in the team, recognizing conflict signals
- Diagnosis: Understanding the participants, the core of the conflict and the course of events
- Treatment: Moderation and application of solution strategies
- Fostering a culture of conflict: open atmosphere, appreciative communication
Recognising conflicts at an early stage
Signs of latent tension in the team:
- Sarcastic remarks
- Constant interruption
- Isolation of individuals
- Refusal to share information
- Rumours
- Non-verbal devaluations
- Performance
- Demotivation
- Increased sick leave
Methods for constructive conflict resolution in a team
Suppose there has been a serious conflict between several team members: In such a case, the manager should bring together all parties involved to jointly analyze the problem and look for acceptable solutions.
It is recommended to be creative in such situations. At first, it may seem as if there are only two opposing points of view and the possible solutions are limited to an either/or scenario. In reality, however, there are often several ways to solve it.
It can be helpful to use special methods of conflict resolution in the team to loosen up rigid thinking and allow for unconventional approaches.
- Conflict Curve: Visualization of Conflict Intensity and Turning Points
- Brainstorming: Collection of solution ideas without evaluation
- Cost-benefit analysis: weighing the benefits and costs of the conflict
- SIL Method: Successive Integration of Solution Elements
- Circular Questions: Changing Perspectives by Asking About the Feelings of Others
Deeper understanding of the causes of conflict
In addition to obvious factual conflicts, personal relationships often play a role. Conflicts can arise from envy, dissatisfaction or unclear role distributions.
Conflict Resolution Checklist
- Active listening
- Addressing conflicts at an early stage
- Avoidance of insinuations
- Understanding the needs behind the positions
- No finger-pointing
- Openness to creative solutions
- Involvement of all stakeholders
- Understanding the other side's point of view
- Respectful and factual communication
- External support when needed
Using conflicts as an opportunity
The ability to resolve team conflicts constructively strengthens the team's cohesion and performance. By paying attention to the above-mentioned points, managers can turn conflicts into positive development processes.
