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Team Building to Resolve Conflict

In this first part, we will look into resolving and handling negative conflict through team building exercises. The second part will delve deeper into conflict-resolving through managing, listening, team resolution, negotiation and acknowledging conflict.

As Companies proceed to streamline work groups, it is becoming more essential to conduct conflict-training exercises for the work force. Conflict occurs due to political, cultural and personal differences, and disagreements are likely to happen. To evade this, most ways to put an end is to handle conflicts swiftly and frankly. Not all conflict is considered devastating however, as it can also positively affect the work force. 

In many large Companies, conflict arises because of diversity in terms of knowledge, ideas and resources. Even after numerous implementations to counter this, conflict remains the number one problem amongst the work force. This could also be in part because managers and supervisors do not take the matter seriously. Therefore, it is important that employees are able to handle this situation when faced with the problem.

Three major factors of conflict can be attributed to

• Communication
• Structural
• Personal

A good team building exercise is crucial to diffuse conflict. Communication barriers can be anything from bad listening skills, inadequate information allocation, difference in elucidation and insight and non spoken instructions or cues being misinterpreted, overlooked or missed. Specific programs can be tailored to better communication and listening skills, to educate the work force on how to better relate to each other.

Structural divergence comprise turnover rate, levels of autonomy among employees, participation levels and reward methods.

Personal factors encompass an employee’s personal self-regard, their personal advancements, merits and desires.

For conflict to be resolved amicably and efficiently, employers and employees must first comprehend that the subject is unpredictable and would have an enormous influence on the whole team.

Conflict which surface in teams are not always a terrible thing, as it can bring about fresh ideas and concepts to enhance organizational procedures. In turn, employees can find that this type of conflict makes creativity juices flowing. This type of conflict smooths the progress of pivotal issues and gives openings for the work force to expand their communication and interpersonal abilities.  

Conflict turns unconstructive when it is left to metastasize where employees start to feel dejected, resulting in combative behavior.  

Strategic team building exercises can enhance administrative procedures, so team members can coordinate their work more efficiently. Through the same exercise, employers can identify those carrying heavier workloads and re distribute responsibilities so everyone gets an equal share.

Conflict can be minimized if team members are given proper encouragement and education pertaining to their field of work. Each team member must be aware which areas are assigned for accountability purposes. 

There are several components to a team building program that can help combat conflict in the work place.

• Direct approach exercises where the leader confronts the issue head on. Each team member is then given the opportunity to solve the problem.
• Bargaining exercises whereby common ground needs to be found in order for the solutions to take effect. In this scenario, a third party is needed to seek a suitable compromise.

Whatever the source of conflict, employers discovered that exercises geared towards a common goal of better understanding each other is one of the proven methods of conflict-solving.

 

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