05. handling conflict effectively

Prof. Tirupati Misra@ibslko

Handling Conflict Effectively

Premise # 1: Almost No One likes Conflict

Premise #2: Conflict is Inevitable

Premise # 3: Groups Need Moderate Task Conflict to

Achieve optimal Performance

Premise # 4: People Are Often Concerned (Correctly)

That Task Conflict will be Taken Personally

Premise # 5: Groups Must Develop Norms to Support

Moderate Task Conflict

Conclusion: Dealing Effectively with Conflict is Not

Easy, but it is Essential

Some Solutions

“Having a clearly defined set of principles to work with reduces conflict because it depersonalizes the criticism.’’

Phil Jackson, Sacred Hoops

Everyone in the Group must be able to

Constructively Criticize Effectively

Examples :

“ This part of the project was not successful because …’’

or

“We would have done better if …’’

Not

‘’ Your part of the project was not successful because you screwed up.’’

or

“ You didn’t do your part of the job well ‘’.


1. Create a structure to attain your goals

2. Establish team rules that promote moderate task conflict

3. Don’t personalize problems - focus on the task

4. Realize that everyone is in this together


THE BOTTOM LINE

Some Examples of Teams That Did Not Succeed

The Chicago Bears of 1971 : In transition, they won their last three games of 1970. They started out well, at 5-2. But the coaches knew that the head coach was not in favor , and infighting began to position themselves for his position. After a loss, they did not regroup, but started pressing. The goal of winning the division had been lost to more personal goals, and the team lost their last 7 games.

The FAA, on investigating some safety-related incidents in 1987:” There is no evidence that Delta’s crews are (on the whole) either unprofessional or purposefully negligent. Rather, it was observed that crew members are frequently acting as individuals rather than as members of a smoothly functioning team.’’

Disaster teams that fight over who’s in charge rather than mobilizing to fight the problem are a disaster themselves.

A merger specialist:

“Mergers are fraught with peril. The uncertainties can cause people to take on an exaggerated, egocentric view of the world. Some attempt to secure their own position, and become dysfunctional for the team. Others somehow step beyond their personal concerns, stay professional and most importantly, “Other-oriented.’’ They have internal standards of excellence that tell them what their roles should be.’’


Team work by

Larson and LaFasto, 1989Groups have a Basic Need to Coordinate and to Trust

The other essential elements of effective groups, as drawn from their research, are:

1) A clear, elevating goal• The centrality of a specific performance objective• The costs of politics and individual agendas

2) Results – Driven Structure• Many Possibilities: Problem solving requires trust• Creativity requires autonomy• Tactical requires clarity• Clear Roles; Effective Communication: Feedback; a Focus on

Facts

3) Competent Team Members• Skills + Personality + Motivation + Confidence in each other


4) Unified Commitment• Leaders must sanction non-contributors

5) Collaborative Climate• Negotiable roles and trust (honest, open, consistent, and respectful)• Trust helps focus, communication, value and compensation

6) Standards of Excellence (pressure to perform)

7) External Support and Recognition : Personal and then material

8) Principled Leadership:• Transformative• Tough on principles, not on people• Encouragement without ego


Some Notable Quotes from Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson

“ I knew that the only way to win consistently was to give everybody – from the stars to the number 12 on the bench – a vital roles on the team, and inspire them to be acutely aware of what was happening, even when the spotlight was on somebody else.”

“ Not team understood better than the championship Chicago Bulls that selflessness is the soul of teamwork .”

“To Succeed, the new bulls will have to … expand their minds and embrace a vision in which the group imperative takes precedence over individual glory, and success comes from being awake, aware, and in tune with others.”

Now this the Law of the Jungle

as old and as true as the sky;

And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper

But the Wolf that shall break it must die.

As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk,

the Law runneth forward and back

For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf,

and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack


“One finger can’t lift a pebble.’’ Hopi saying , quoted

“A great basketball team will have trust. I’ve seen teams in this league where the players won’t pass to a guy because they don’t think he is going to catch the ball. But a great basketball team will throw the ball to everyone. If a guy drops it or bobbles it out of bounds, the next time they’ll throw it to him again. And because of their confidence in him, he will have confidence. That’s how you grow.”

- Bill Cartwright

“Having a clearly defined set of principles to work with reduces conflict because it depersonalizes the criticism.”

“You can’t expect a team to perform in a way that’s out of tune with its basic abilities….. In other words, you can dream all you want, but, bottom, line, you’ve got to work with what you’ve got. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time.”

“Each game is a riddle that must be solved, and there are no textbook answers.”


Sports

05. handling conflict effectively