Teamwork and Conflict PDF

TEAM WORK and managing conflict 1. WHY TEAMS…………… Teamwork is essential in order for tasks to be optimally done. By using people simultaneously, the total time needed for the task is not only reduced, but it is possible to use experts in each field in order to get the best possible quality. Team...

TEAM WORK and managing conflict 1. WHY TEAMS…………… Teamwork is essential in order for tasks to be optimally done. By using people simultaneously, the total time needed for the task is not only reduced, but it is possible to use experts in each field in order to get the best possible quality. Team Dynamics and Roles  Understanding Roles Each team member should clearly understand their role within the team, including the overall team goal. Clear understanding of duties, rights, and responsibilities helps avoid role ambiguity and ensures efficiency in task completion. Role overload occurs when a team member has more work than they can handle. This can happen when a team member leaves and isn’t replaced, increasing the workload for others.  Mutual Understanding A team functions more effectively when members understand each other's strengths, weaknesses, and all team member’s contributions. By recognizing and valuing the different skills, experiences, and talents of each team members will also contribute to overall team success. Synergy and Collaboration  Synergy Synergy is when the team’s combined output is greater than the sum of individual efforts. This synergy also extends to interactions with other teams, enhancing overall productivity and success. We can best summarise synergy as synchronised energy!  Constructive Criticism Being open-minded when giving and receiving constructive feedback fosters productive discussions. For this to work, team members should set aside personal egos, allowing for more honest and open dialogue. Effective Communication and Leadership  Communication Clear communication is key to team success. Instructions should be clear, and there should be constant feedback to keep everyone aligned with goals and deadlines. Effective communication ensures everyone knows what has been achieved and what still needs to be done.  Leadership A strong leader who can adapt their leadership style based on the situation is crucial. During crises, an autocratic approach may be necessary to make quick decisions. In contrast, a democratic leadership style is more suitable for encouraging participation and discussions, promoting a sense of involvement among team members.  Respect for Opinions Successful teamwork depends on team members respecting each other's opinions. When disagreements arise, it may be beneficial to agree to disagree temporarily until more clarity is achieved. (conflict management skills) 1  2. STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT These are the different steps that the team goes through from start to finish. In the process of this interaction, the team follows certain stages. This process is characterised by five different stages, these include:  Forming Stage  Initial phase where team members are getting to know each other.  The exchange of personal information and previous work experiences helps members understand one another.  Uncertainty about roles and responsibilities is common, leading to some members feeling less confident in their contributions.  The team leader or manager plays a critical role by:  Providing clear guidelines on the team's purpose and objectives.  Explaining individual roles and how decisions will be made.  Offering direction as members still rely on the leader for guidance.  Storming Stage  Team members compete for roles and authority within the group.  This phase is marked by conflict as member’s challenge each other and even the team leader.  The leader’s role is to coach the team to overcome conflicts and differences, guiding them to work towards a common goal.  Open confrontation may occur, but this is a natural part of figuring out how the team will operate.  Norming Stage  Team members settle into their roles and begin to cooperate effectively.  Communication becomes more open, and constructive criticism is welcomed.  The team grows more cohesive, developing stronger unity.  Team members may start socializing more freely, enhancing their connection.  The leader encourages the team, celebrates successes, and fosters a supportive environment to maintain morale and motivation.  Performing Stage  The team reaches a stage where they operate effectively and with confidence.  Members understand their roles and support each other to achieve their shared goal.  Roles become flexible, with team members ready to assist one another for the benefit of the team.  The leader's role shifts from guiding the team as a whole to providing individual support for members who may still need help.  Team members take responsibility for both individual and collective success.  Adjourning Stage  This stage occurs when the task or project is completed, and the team is disbanded.  Even if the project continues, some members may leave to pursue other opportunities.  It is important for the leader to remind the team of their successes and celebrate achievements to ensure these experiences are recognized and can inform future projects. The team leader’s role evolves throughout the stages, from giving direction in the forming stage to supporting individual members during the performing stage. Teams must navigate conflict in the storming phase to build stronger bonds during the norming and performing stages. Recognizing and celebrating the team's successes helps sustain motivation and contribute to long-term success in future projects. 2  3. TEAM DYNAMICS No individual member can work independently and successfully achieve what a team can achieve together. Team dynamics refer to the interaction between team members' personalities, characteristics, and working relationships. The impact of Team Dynamics can be positive which can enhance productivity and collaboration. While negative team dynamics arise when team members fail to work together, which can result in poor team performance. There are several theories on team dynamics. We focus on Belbin’s Theory of Team Roles, developed by Meredith Belbin. Belbin's theory outlines nine roles that are essential for a team to function successfully. These roles fall into three broad categories: Thinkers, Task-Oriented, and People-Oriented. 1. Thinkers  The evaluator: looks for opportunities and thinks strategically about how to make the most of them.  The planter: a creative individual who thinks "outside the box" and helps solve problems in imaginative ways.  The specialist: has a unique and valuable skill not commonly found, and shares their expertise with the team. 2. Task-Oriented Roles  The finisher: detail-oriented and proactive, ensures that mistakes or omissions are corrected and that tasks are completed on time.  The implementer: converts ideas into practical actions in a conservative and disciplined manner.  The shaper: thrives under pressure, challenges others, and pushes hard to overcome obstacles. 3. People-Oriented Roles:  The resource investigator: an extroverted person who enjoys meeting new people and establishing connections that can benefit the team.  Team Worker: a diplomatic team member who listens to others and strives to maintain calmness and avoid conflict.  Coordinator: a natural leader who ensures that all members understand the team's goals and is not afraid to make decisions when necessary. 4. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT When individuals with diverse backgrounds, personalities, and goals collaborate in teams or the workplace, some level of conflict is unavoidable. Although conflict is often viewed negatively, it can serve as an opportunity for growth and improvement when handled effectively. Recognizing the causes, types, and strategies for resolving conflict is key to fostering a positive and productive work environment. 4.1 Causes of Conflict in the Workplace  Lack of communication: When there is poor communication, misunderstandings are likely to occur. Miscommunication can lead to confusion, which can escalate into conflict if not addressed early.  Resource allocation: If employees do not have the necessary resources to do their jobs effectively, it may lead to frustration, low morale, and eventually conflict. Lack of resources can make employees feel undervalued or incapable of performing their tasks.  Disrespect for rules or policies: Some conflicts arise when individuals do not follow workplace rules or policies. This may happen due to misunderstanding the rules or intentionally rebelling against them, which can cause tension with colleagues who follow the rules.  Power struggles: Competition for promotions or leadership roles can create tension and lead to conflicts between staff members. Power struggles can damage team dynamics and create a negative work environment.  Unclear roles and responsibilities: When employees are unsure of their roles or responsibilities, confusion and frustration can arise. This uncertainty can lead to overlapping duties, incomplete tasks, and ultimately, conflict. 3   Cultural differences: In a diverse workplace, differences in cultures, values, and beliefs can lead to misunderstandings or friction. Respect for diversity and open communication are essential to prevent conflict stemming from cultural differences.  Personality clashes: Personality differences can contribute to conflict. For example:  Type A personalities: Driven, organized, and prefer tasks to be done immediately.  Type B personalities: More relaxed, prefer to delay tasks, and may conflict with those who want things done quickly. These differences in work style can create frustration if team members do not understand or respect each other’s approach.  Differences in priorities: Team members may disagree about what should be prioritized, leading to conflict over how tasks are ranked or approached. Misalignment in priorities can cause friction and delays in work progress.  Underperformance of a team member: If one team member is not meeting expectations, it can affect the performance of the entire team. This can lead to resentment from team members who are picking up the slack, further fuelling conflict. 4.2 Conflict management in a business environment. Conflict is part of any business environment. It is important to turn a conflict into functional conflict rather than dysfunctional conflict. Functional Conflict occurs when a situation of disagreement is a healthy, constructive discussion/debate between individuals or teams. It usually has a positive outcome and it encourages new ideas, promotes innovation, and improves decision-making processes. Dysfunctional conflict is harmful and destructive to an organization or team. It negatively affects communication, cooperation, and productivity, often leading to tension, mistrust, and a toxic work environment.  Advantages of functional conflict: The development of new ideas and improved creativity may lead to positive change. Functional conflict forces individuals to think critically and find solutions that benefit the team or organization. If conflict is resolved in a positive manner it gets people talking to one another, even between people who believed they had little in common. This may lead to a healthier organisation. When team members engage in open discussions, it improves the flow of information and clarifies misunderstandings. Conflict between groups in the organisation may help people to establish a group identity when it becomes “us” vs “them”. When the reasons for the disagreements are investigated, it may help to identify problems. Successfully resolving conflict can build trust and improve working relationships. Conflict may lead to better understanding of both sides.  Dysfunctional conflict will have the following results: Dysfunctional conflict distracts employees from their tasks and reduces overall work efficiency, especially when people get so obsessed with what they want or with being right it diverts them from what they are supposed to achieve. Working in an environment where people are fighting will result in lower staff morale, less job satisfaction and reduced productivity. Personal attacks or aggressive behaviors lead to strained relationships between colleagues. Resources such as time and energy are wasted when people are constantly arguing and not reaching consensus. It creates a negative organisational culture where it becomes the norm to fight over everything instead of working together to achieve common goals. Group members may begin to feel they have different goals which will result in reduced group cohesion. Constant verbal disagreements and abuse of one another may result in increasing hostility and aggressive behaviour. If not managed, dysfunctional conflict can lead to employees leaving the organization due to stress or dissatisfaction. 4 4.3 How to Manage Conflict  Identify the source of conflict: By understanding the root cause of the conflict (e.g., poor communication, unclear roles, personality clashes) it will help in addressing the real issue, rather than symptoms of the problem.  Open communication: Encourage open discussions where all parties involved can express their perspectives and feelings. It’s important to listen actively and without interruption, ensuring everyone’s viewpoint is acknowledged.  Ensure all roles and responsibilities are clarified: Where conflict arises from role confusion, clarify each team member’s role and responsibilities to reduce uncertainty. Ensure that employees understand the expectations of their positions.  Facilitate Compromise: As a technique to manage conflict…. a win-win solution where both parties make compromises to resolve the conflict. This focuses on finding common ground that aligns with the team’s or organization’s goals.  Encourage Respect for Diversity: Promote a workplace culture that values and respects cultural differences and diverse perspectives. Diversity training and team-building activities can help reduce conflicts stemming from cultural misunderstandings.  Follow-up and Monitor: After a conflict has been resolved, continue to monitor the situation to ensure that it doesn’t resurface. Make adjustments if needed and provide support to team members as they move forward. 4.4 Conflict Resolution Strategies There are different strategies to resolve conflict, such as:  Accommodating: In this approach, a person is cooperative but not assertive. They prioritize maintaining harmony and will often neglect their own interests or even compromise their beliefs to yield to another’s point of view. Accommodating is appropriate when the issue is more important to the other party, and preserving the relationship is a priority.  Avoiding: When someone avoids conflict, they withdraw from the situation, postpone addressing it, or delegate it to someone else. By doing so, they sidestep the issue rather than confronting it directly. This approach works well for minor issues or when the conflict is not worth engaging in (i.e., "picking your battles"). However, frequent avoidance can allow conflicts to escalate if important matters are neglected.  Collaborating: Collaborating involves both parties working together to find a solution that satisfies everyone. This approach fosters cooperation, with all parties taking the time to uncover and address their underlying differences. It is most useful when the goal is to find a win-win solution, and there’s enough time to work through the differences thoroughly. This often leads to the most long-lasting and mutually beneficial outcomes.  Competing: In a competing approach, an individual refuse to yield and strives to win at all costs. They are assertive and uncooperative, seeking to push their own agenda. Competing is typically used when the conflict revolves around principles or values that the individual cannot compromise on or when a quick, decisive action is needed.  Compromising: Compromising involves both parties seeking a middle ground where they each give up something to reach a solution that partially satisfies both. The goal is mutual, though not complete, satisfaction. This approach is effective when the parties have equal power, the solution needs to be found quickly, or both parties' goals are moderately important but not critical.  Devil's Advocate: Sometimes, an individual assumes the role of devil's advocate to challenge ideas and encourage critical thinking. This helps uncover potential issues before they turn into conflicts or helps refine solutions to problems. This approach works well when trying to explore all sides of an issue to make better-informed decisions, especially when the consequences of a decision may be significant. 5 4.5 Third Party Intervention to resolve conflict Should one of the strategies in 4.4 not resolve the conflict, third party intervention may be needed. Here are some common third party intervention bodies:  Workplace Forums (WPF) WPF’s are structures where employees and employers meet to consult and make joint decisions on workplace issues. The aim to foster better communication between employees and employers by creating a platform for dialogue. A workplace forum can only be established in a business with 100 or more employees. Although WPF’s are not technically a third-party, they are internal to the organization but can be an effective strategy to resolve conflict on issues that more important issues.  Trade Unions Trade unions represent the interests of employees, focusing on promoting their well-being in the workplace. They focus on collective bargaining for better wages and conditions, protecting the rights of employees and provide legal assistance when needed.  Employer Organizations Employer organizations represent employers and promote their collective interests, often helping employers handle labour-related issues. They will also provide guidance on employment contracts, training, and development and when needed even represent employers in negotiations with trade unions. Examples of employer organisations are NAPE (National Association of Professional Employers) and COFESA (Confederation of Employer Organisation of South Africa).  The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA): The CCMA is an independent organization established to help resolve workplace disputes through various conflict resolution methods.  Conciliation: A mediator at the CCMA will listen to both parties in a dispute, acting as an impartial third party. During conciliation, both sides present their points of view, and the CCMA facilitates discussions to try to reach an agreement. This stage is voluntary and non-binding.  Mediation: If conciliation fails, the dispute moves to mediation. The CCMA mediator suggests possible solutions to the dispute. These recommendations are not binding but provide guidance.  Arbitration: If mediation does not resolve the issue, the dispute moves to arbitration. In arbitration, the CCMA arbitrator makes a binding decision, which both parties must follow.  CONARB Process (Conciliation and Arbitration) The CONARB process combines conciliation and arbitration to resolve workplace disputes. This option provides a quicker, more cost-effective way to resolve disputes without going to CCMA or even court, while still ensuring that the outcome is binding. 6