Conflict in a project environ.

‘The state of the first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in
the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function” F.S.Fitzderald
 Nature of conflict
• What? A disagreement that occurs when
different parties harbor incompatible goals,
thoughts, or emotions within individuals or
groups.
• What not? Is not a contest
• Conflict is natural; you like it or not, it will happen
• It is neither good nor bad, but the way it is
managed is
– Cognitive conflict can be good
– Affective conflict is usually bad
 Types or conflicts
• Informal vs. formal
• Goal-oriented conflicts
• Administrative conflicts
• Interpersonal conflicts
 Levels of conflict
• Intrapersonal
• Interpersonal
• Intragroup
• Intergroup
 Sources of conflict
– Scarcity of resource
– Identity and deep rooted conflict
– Structural imbalance
– Ambiguity
– Differing goals
– Values of team members
– Attitude
– Roles and responsibilities
– Increased interaction
 Conflict
• Can be Advantageous:
– Presents opportunities to learn and grow
• Can create opportunities for different way of
looking into things
• Resolution method may generate a new idea
which could generate learning
– Essential for personal growth and social
change
 Aspects of conflict
Aspects of conflicts
Positive aspects
 Diffuses more serious conflicts
 Fosters changes and creativities as
new options are explored
 Enhances communications if both
parties are committed to mutual gains
 Increases performance, energy and
group cohesion
 Balances power and influence if
collaborative problem solving
techniques are emphasized
 Clarifies issues and goals
Negative aspects
 Can lead to more hostility and
aggressions
 Desire to win blocks exploration of
new opportunities
 Inhabits communications
 Causes stress: creates unproductive
atmosphere
 May cause loss of power or status
when both parties take it as a contest
of wills and strive for win-lose
outcome
 Real issues overlooked as positions
become confused with personalities.
 Conflict
• Managing conflict in a working team
• Role of conflict determined by how managed
• Is a driving for change
• Can result in improved decision-making
– But
• Can be destructive
• Need understanding dynamics of conflict
 Managing conflict
• In general the choice of appropriate style
for resolving conflicts depends upon a
broad range of factors such as:
– The relative importance and intensity of the
conflict
– The time pressure fro resolving conflict
– The position taken by players involved
– Motivation to resolve conflict on long-term or
short-term basis
 Managing conflicts
• Stimulating conflict
““He that wrestles with us strengthens our
nerves and sharpens our skills. Our
antagonist is our helper” Edmund Burke
 Managing conflict
• Resolving structural conflicts
– Procedural change
– Personnel change
– Authority change
– Layout change
– Resource changes
Forcing: Collaborating (Confronting, problem solving)
Type: Win-lose Type: Interactive (win-win)
Description: Push one view point at the Description: Incorporate multiple viewpoints and insights from
expense of others; offer only win-lose solutions differing perspectives; leads to consensus and commitment
Effect: hard feelings may come back I other (Collaborating)
forms Treats conflict as a problem to be solved by examining
Applications: alternatives; requires give and take attitude and open dialogue
When you are sure that you are right (conf./ prob solving)
When an emergency situation exists (do or Effects: Provides long term solution
die) Provides ultimate solution (Conf/ prob. sol )
When stakes are high and issues are Applications:
important When you both get at least what you want, ay be more
When you are stronger To gain more commitment and
To gain status or demonstrate position Compromise: gain power base
power Type: Compromise When there is enough time
When the acceptance is unimportant Description: searches for and bargains for solutions and skills are complementary
that bring some degree of satisfaction to all parties When you want to preclude
Effect: Does provide definitive resolution later use of other methods
Applications: To maintain future relationship
Temporary solution to complex issues When there is mutual trust ,
Backup if collaboration fails respect and confidence
When both parities need to be winners
When you can’t win or don’t have enough time
When others are as strong as you
To maintain your relationship with your opponent
When you are not sure that you are right
When you get nothing if you don’t
When goals are moderately high

Avoidance (withdrawal) Accommodation (Smoothing)

Type: Lose-leave Type: Yield-lose
Description: Retreat from an actual or potential conflict Description: Emphasize areas of agreement rather than
situation differences
Effect: Does not solve the problem Effect: provides only short-term solution
Applications: Applications:
When you can’t win or the stakes are low To reach an overarching goal
To gain status or demonstrate position To create obligation for a trade-off at a later date
To gain time When stakes are low and liability is limited
To discourage your opponent To maintain harmony, peace and goodwill
To maintain neutrality or reputation When any solution will be adequate
When you think the problem will go away by itself When you will lose anyways
To gain time
Communications
 Project Communications
• What? A formal or informal way of
interacting with people.
• A means by which project managers give:
– Direction to project teams
– Hold meetings with and pass decisions
various stakeholders
– Relay information and ideas to project
participants, public etc.
 Project Communications
• Why is it important?
• It is by far the most dominant means project managers
manage, lead, direct etc their team
• Major problems can be tracked back to failure in
communications
• Managers spend most of their time communicating
• How?
• Verbal,
• Non-verbal,
• Written,
• Graphic,
• Multimedia
 Project Communications
• Verbal communications:
• The dominant for of project communications.
• Can be formal or informal
• Formal:
• Procedure
– Tell’em what you are going to tell’em (introduction or abstracts)
– Tell’em (explanation body)
– Tell’em what you told’em (Summary and conclusion)
• Advantages?
– Timely exchange of information
– Rapid feedback, etc
• Disadvantage
– Often needs backing in writing in case of contractual matters
– Could be difficult to communicate with ppl of various
background
 Project Communications
• Non-verbal communications
“It is not what you tell what matters, it is what you don’t tell” (Tommy
Hicks)
– Refers to gestures, vocal tones, facial
expressions, body languages
– In an interpersonal communications

Total message impact  Wodrs (7%)  Vocal tones (38%)  facial exressions (55%)
 Project Communications
• Written communications
– Is the most dominant way of formal
communications
– Can take a form of letters, memos, emails,
contractual documents, etc
– Usually the steps in formal verbal
communications are followed here to

A business writing should be understood clearly when read quickly.

 Project Communications
• Graphic and multi-media
– This days electronic multi-media are powerful
means of communications
– Take advantage of them
 Project Communications
• With whom?
Top Management/
Client/ Sponsor/
Consultants

External stakeholders/ Project Functional managers/ Other

regulatory agencies/ Public & Manager project managers
Press

Project team members/

Subcontractors, Subordinates
 Project Communications
• What to communicate?
Relationships Nature of Message Usually expected Skills required
Comm. delivered

Top Management/ Upward Status and Organizational Support, Problem solving,

Client/ Sponsor/ (Vertical, Warning Feedback, Decisions, System setup,
Consultants Diagonal) Requirements, Funding reporting

Functional managers/ Lateral Planning Technical support and Negotiating and

Other project managers (Horizontal) and cooperation contracting
Coordinatio
n
Project team members/ Downward Leadership, Quality and Planning, team
Subcontractors, (vertically, direction conformance to building and
Subordinates diagonally) and control requirements coordination

External stakeholders/ Lateral Ongoing Feedback and support Public relations

regulatory agencies/ information and interfacing
Public & Press
 Project Communications
• Bottlenecks to communications
Lack of openness
Number of and trust
Too much or lack of Preoccupation links
information
Organizational
Timing climate

Project Planning Desired Project

Organizing Communications
Management result objectives
Executing
Monitoring

Cultural
Management of scope, Vocabulary
differences
time, cost, quality,
resource, contract etc Hear what you Perceptions and
expect to hear personalities
Knowledge of What
one wants to say