Team Management and Conflict

The nature of teams

A team or group can be defined as the interaction of two or more people, in an interdependent
way, to achieve a common goal or objective. A team can be formal or informal. Formal teams
are those that are created by the organisation, with a defined and designated task to accomplish.
The discussions and activities of formal teams are directed towards the achievement of business
objectives. In contrast, an informal team is one that is self-created in the work environment,
without any influence from management. Informal teams tend to be of a social nature and are
formed to fulfil a desire of the members, including sports, socialisation, and common interests.
Examples of informal groups or teams are interest groups, reference groups and friendship
groups. The nature of formal teams can be analysed in terms of their composition, objectives and
interaction.

Composition

The composition of the team usually plays an integral part in its ability to achieve the task that
was assigned to it. The activities that should be carried out may require a variety of skills and
knowledge. Therefore its members must be carefully chosen, based on the objective to be
achieved. The team must have members with the desired skills, knowledge and experience in the
field in which they will be working. The personalities of team members must be considered since
there may be a clash, resulting in conflict. Management should also consider the individual
attributes of each member.

Objectives

A team’s nature is embedded in the objectives that it sets out to achieve. Earlier, it was stated
that a team must be geared towards a common goal or objective. The objective of the team must
be clearly defined and achievable. In some cases, the members of a team may be chosen based
on the task that must be completed. For example, if the goal is to change or improve a situation
at the tactical level then the team may include middle managers and supervisors.
Interaction

The effectiveness of any team will depend on the level and quality of interaction among team
members. This interaction may be in the form of face-to-face meetings, telephone conversations,
video conferencing, etc. Regular interaction among team members can help to build synergy
within the team. However, in order for this to happen, the team members must share a good
working relationship. It must be noted, though, that this level of synergy and working
relationship may take some time to develop.

Stages of team development

 Forming – at this stage, members are just getting to know each other. They are often
uncertain about the purpose, structure and leadership of the group. Members may be
timid as they seek to find out what behaviour is acceptable or not acceptable
 Storming – as members start to share ideas and become more acquainted with each
other, intra-team conflict and disagreements may develop. They express their
individuality and resist the pressures and influence of the remaining team members
 Norming – as the team members get to know even more about each other, the conflicts
and disagreements start to subside. In this stage, members start developing good
relationships and cohesion. The purpose of the team is now clear and each member
knows the accepted behaviour
 Performing – the focus of the team is now on getting the job done and achieving its
objectives. The method of working is established and each member can now make their
contribution to the task. This is the final stage for permanent teams
 Adjourning – at this stage, teams that are temporary wrap up their activities and prepare
for disbandment. The task would have been performed and the team members now look
towards separation.
 Types of formal group

Groups are formed in organisations to carry out different functions. These functions will
determine the type of group. Below are some examples of groups or teams that are formed in the
organisation:

 Command group – this usually consists of department heads and the subordinates who
work in the departments. Such groups derive their function as given by the organisational
structure of the firm
 Functional group – this is a group which is formed to carry out a particular goal or
function of the firm. The goal of the group is determined by the major functional areas of
the business – for example, marketing and customer service
 Task group – this is created to accomplish a specific task or objective in a given time
period. Once the task is completed, such groups are usually disbanded. A task group
could be formed to work on a project or to solve a problem being experienced by the
firm. In all groups or teams, people play different roles. Some of these roles are specified
by management, while others may be left for the group to decide among the members. If
you examine the groups that you have been in at school, you may find that some people
naturally gravitate towards a particular role. In some cases a natural leader will emerge,
perhaps at or after the first group meeting. Some of the common roles in any group would
include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Coordinator or chairman – this person presides over the team and coordinates its
activities to meet its targets or goals
- Initiator – this person generates new ideas, defines the problem or suggests procedures
for the group
- Shaper – this person is usually task oriented; an extrovert who usually gets things done
- Informer – this person gathers factual information and makes generalisations or gives
opinions and suggestions
- Clarifier – the person in this role will interpret ideas, define important terms and seek
clarification on issues for the group
 - Summariser or recorder – this person is responsible for restating information that was
discussed, proposing decisions and drawing the necessary conclusions.

Characteristics of effective teams

Commitment

It is almost certain that many people will not feel comfortable or perform properly if they are in a
place where they do not want to be. Some students may agree that they really would rather be in
university or working and so they are not very committed to school. The same is true for teams.
If the members are not committed to the team and the activities that will be undertaken, then not
much will be accomplished. A strong level of commitment is very important if the team is
expected to achieve the common goal or objective.

Participation

The level of participation in the team is essential to its success. It is expected that team members
will be able to share their ideas, make comments and suggestions. No member of the team should
be prevented from participating in its decision making. This therefore means that the team leader
has to be democratic in his/her leadership approach. In any team, each person’s idea or view
should be as valid as the other person’s. There should be no partiality or disregard. However, the
level of participation necessary for effective decisions may come only after the team has reached
or surpassed the ‘norming’ stage.

Trust

Trust is vital, as team members want to know that whatever is said in the team will not be
misconstrued because of one’s position. Each member should be genuine in their actions and
should not be trying to put down another person. Where these actions are present, the team will
not be able to build the type of trust needed to carry out the assigned task. In addition to a high
level of trust among team members, the team must be trusted by management. The team should
be given the autonomy to carry out its mandate without regular interference from management.
Decision by consensus

Decisions made by a team should not be one sided. Each member should be given a say in the
decision. The issue should be thoroughly discussed and the different views should be taken into
consideration before arriving at a final decision. By doing so, team members are more likely to
feel motivated and appreciated in the team and, by extension, the firm.

Flexibility

We are living in a world that is constantly changing and these changes usually affect business
organisations. To this end, team members must be aware of the possible changes that might
occur and be ready to adapt to the new situation. An effective team is one that is flexible enough
to reduce considerably the time it takes to adjust to or overcome unforeseen circumstances and
get the task done.

Encouragement

As the team ‘norms’, its members usually develop a sense of camaraderie. This relationship is
important, especially when a member may be losing focus on the task ahead or is just in need of
encouragement. The leader of the team should possess the requisite skills to motivate and inspire
his/ her fellow team members to achieve the stated objectives. In doing so, he/she should be able
to keep the members encouraged even in difficult and trying times. There is a common saying
that ‘encouragement sweetens labour’.

Support and growth

This characteristic is connected to the previous one, in that the level of support needed in the
team will come only after a close relationship is developed among the members. Team members
will not only encourage each other, but will also lend their support where needed. Over time, the
team should be able to mould each member, bringing them to the point where there is personal
growth. An effective team is one that supports its members and ensures that they grow from the
experience they garnered while working in the team.

Synergy

This characteristic is based on the notion that when individuals work together, their output will
be greater than the sum of the outputs of the individual people. In other words, if we should add
the output for each person who worked on a project individually the total would be less than if
they had worked together on the project – hence the notion that working in groups produces
more results. This is a very important characteristic of effective teams. As individuals in the firm
come together to achieve a common goal, the end result should be indicative of the benefits of
doing so. The individual achievement and ability has to be transcended into the group effort.

Team or group cohesiveness

Team cohesiveness refers to the degree to which group members are drawn to each other and are
encouraged to remain within the group. The general rule of thumb is that groups that are highly
cohesive tend to work more effectively and are more likely to be successful. It is therefore vital
that management tries to enhance group cohesiveness in order to get the best results possible.

Forces that influence group cohesiveness

Size

The size of the team or group can influence its cohesiveness, in that very large groups may find it
difficult to work together effectively. Smaller groups may find it easier to agree on a common
goal and make decisions. To this end, smaller groups are usually more cohesive than larger ones.
While this is true, however, a group that is too small may result in members being overworked,
which can in turn lead to conflict. It is therefore important that management find the optimum
size for each team being used – that is, not too big and not too small.

Group goals

A hallmark of group cohesiveness is members having a common goal. By definition, a group

should include people with a common interest or objective. Cohesiveness will improve once all
members of the group agree on a common goal and work towards achieving it. Where the goal of
the group is ambiguous or disagreed upon, the level of cohesiveness will be low.

Similarities

This speaks to the similarities that exist among members of the group. Members who share
similar characteristics, such as social background, interest, ethnicity, age, values and beliefs are
more likely to develop cohesion. A word of caution, however, is that this could also lead to
conflict where there is a clash of personalities.

Diversity

Group cohesiveness can also be affected by the level of diversity of its members. This can have a
negative or positive effect on the group cohesiveness. The group should consist of people with a
variety of abilities but who are willing to work to a common goal. Where members are too
diverse in personality, ability and experience it can result in competition and conflict.

Attraction

Personal attraction is also important for group cohesiveness. The more attracted group members
are to each other, the greater will be their cohesion.

Evaluation of team work

Advantages of working in teams

- The team combines the individual strengths and therefore better decisions can be made.
The combination of each individual ability and potential will therefore improve the
effectiveness of the team and its impact on the firm
- Team working enhances flexibility in the organisation. Since the skill and knowledge
base of the team is broad, it may be able to adjust fairly quickly to the changing business
environment
- Team working helps to motivate employees, building character and catering for their
social needs
- Working in teams can improve productivity, as each member encourages the others to do
well. This may also be as a result of an improvement in the team members’ level of
motivation.

Disadvantages of working in teams

- Decisions taken by teams tend to be time consuming. Since there are more people
involved in the decision-making process, it may take some time before a consensus is
reached
 - The firm incurs additional cost to set up teams. This includes the cost to train or retrain
team members for the task to be completed
- The firm may lose productive time during the establishment of the team. The time that it
will take to organise the team could be used to produce a number of products
- One danger of working in teams is that it is difficult to ascertain which member of the
team is accountable for mishaps that might happen.

Benefits of team management to the organization

An effective team can bring a myriad of benefits to the organisation. These include:

- The firm usually benefits from improved performance as team members pool their ideas
and talents to effect growth and achieve the assigned objectives
- The possibility of workers in the group producing outputs of better quality is greater than
that of individuals
- The use of groups will help senior managers to offload some of their responsibilities
while giving them the opportunity to focus more on effecting change at the corporate
level
- The level of flexibility is good, as group members can adapt quickly to changing
customer needs since they are aware of the dynamics of the business and its environment.
This could result in the firm being able to keep its current customer base
- Since working in teams improves motivation, there may be an increase in the team’s
contribution to the final output of the firm.

Conflict management

A conflict is defined as a disagreement that exists between two or more individuals. It is almost
inevitable that conflict will develop in the workplace, since there are many people with varying
personalities and opinions. A conflict usually develops because people may disagree with the
goals, perceptions and principles of the organisation. In the workplace, disagreements may occur
between management and subordinates or among subordinates.
Causes of conflict

Management style

The reaction of the employees to the style of leadership being used is a common cause of
conflict. Where a manager is very autocratic, employees may retaliate against decisions that are
made that will affect them negatively. The employees may not see ‘eye to eye’ with a manager
who does not show concern for them or listen to their suggestions. While some people prefer to
be led or directed, others want to share in the decision-making process while knowing that their
ideas will not just be brushed aside.

Competition for scarce resources

At any given time most businesses will have a limited amount of resources for which employees
are competing. The resources of the business may include cash, supplies and information. These
have to be shared among the different departments of the firm. As each department seeks to
attain its objectives and surpass targets, it may need to compete for the limited resources and this
may cause conflicts to arise.

Lack of communication

Communication should be clear and managers must ensure that the intended message is what is
communicated. However, on many occasions that is not the case and the message is
misunderstood. Poor communication will result in conflict. The lack of communication is also a
problem for employees who may feel alienated and unimportant. Intentionally withholding
information can cause distrust, animosity and eventually conflict among the parties.

Clash of personalities

Since we are all different individuals, there will be times when our personalities, values and
attitudes vary. As a result, some employees may have a hard time getting along or seeing eye to
eye. This will cause conflict in the workplace. The conflict may be so severe that the only
solution is to separate the parties.

Conflict of duties
Conflict may also arise because the responsibilities boundaries are not clearly defined. Where
workers are not given clear job descriptions, there might be an overlap of duties which will result
in confusion and conflict.

Strategies to manage conflict

Since it is inevitable for conflicts to arise, managers must be prepared to deal with any
eventualities. There are a number of strategies that are available to deal with conflicts.

Avoidance

There are times when a conflict does not have much bearing on the organisation and so the
manager may choose to allow the parties to resolve the issue on their own. Avoidance is
appropriate for conflicts that are trivial and not worth intervention from higher authority. The
parties may avoid the conflict because there is no chance of any of them winning or coming to a
compromise. The process needed to solve the problem may be very costly and cause undue
disruptions in work which could have been avoided.

Smoothing

The smoothing strategy is sometimes referred to as ‘accommodating’. It is where the manager

seeks to emphasise the areas of agreement but downplay the areas of disagreement. The use of
this method will see one party sacrificing his/her interests or rights in order to appease the other
party. Smoothing may not always work, as the sacrificing party is still not appeased. This method
is best suited for situations where the stakes are low or it is in the firm’s best interests to do so.
For example, an employee may sacrifice his goals so that someone else’s goals and opinions can
be undertaken by the firm.

Compromise

A compromise is where each party agrees to give up something. In this situation there will be no
clear winner or loser but a willingness of both parties to accept the solution. This method is best
suited in situations where the end result of a conflict might be very costly compared with the
sacrifice that each party will make. For example, a worker may agree to accept half the pay
increase due to him/her in order to ease the financial strain on the firm or institution.
Collaboration

Collaboration seeks to meet the needs and satisfy the concerns of each party. This will lead to a
‘win-win’ situation where both parties leave the conflict feeling satisfied. The views of both
parties must be heard and discussed extensively to ensure that the agreement that is arrived at is
fair and mutual. Extensive discussion may render this method time consuming. This method is
particularly important when the issues or concerns are paramount and cannot be compromised or
‘smoothed’.

Confrontation

Confrontation happens where conflicting parties meet face to face and are coerced into stating
their disagreements and stances on the issue. Using this method should lead to open
communication which, in the end, should solve the problem.