Conflict Management

Conflicts can be good or bad based on the situation and is very much inevitable in the project environment. Why it is good is, it can result in notion among the team and can be bad is, when you are not motivating the team, providing the wrong status to the stakeholders, overlapping of the activities without proper RACI model. The sources from where the conflicts can originate are scarce in resources, schedule, project priorities, cost, technology, administrative procedures, personality. Schedule is the common source from where the conflict starts and personality is the least. Some of the conflict management techniques are

Collaborating or Problem Solving: The team is open to discuss the difference of opinion and come with different solutions and take the decision with consensus. This results in win-win situation. For example removing the overlapping of the activities, finding the different alternate solutions for the issue and getting the consensus from all the people and implementing the solution, applying one of the solutions and if not working going for the other solution.

Compromising or Reconciling: It brings some degree of satisfaction to both the parties and is lose-lose situation since no party gets fully satisfied. This is the next best after collaborating. For example taking 50% solution one party and 50% solution from another party and implementing it, considering the cost over the schedule.

Withdrawal or Avoidance: Here the parties defer the decision of a problem to a later time or date. This is not the best technique but can be applied based on the situation. For example let’s deal this next week, come to my office and will discuss later, let’s take it offline.

Smoothing or Accommodating: Here areas of agreement are focused rather than areas of disagreement. To maintain the relationship and harmony this technique is used. For example calming down the situation to get into work where there is chaos over issues.

Force or Direct: Pushing one viewpoint at the expense of another and results in win-lose situation. Again this technique can be used if no other techniques are working out and can be last resort. For example using the power and directing the team to work.

Collaborating is the best Conflict Management technique.

Conflict Management is used under the process Manage Project Team.