Best Ways Leaders Address Conflict for Best Teamwork Results

Apr 13th, 2010 by Kate Nasser

Ways Leaders Address Conflict By:TarikB

Some leaders see conflict as active teamwork that produces the best ideas. Other leaders see conflict as non-teamwork. It is likely that conflict will occur on teams. The key question is: What are the best ways for leaders to address conflict for the best teamwork results?

I asked leaders: How do you address conflict on and between teams to get great teamwork results regardless of the situation?

The responses I received:

The best way to address conflict to ensure teamwork results is: “Select individual team members for their great attitude and for their ability to work on diverse teams in difficult situations.”
“We deal with each conflict as it arises. I first ask the people to work it out. If they can’t, I step in and resolve the conflict.”
“I tell everyone to stay focused on the team goals and overlook the rest.”
“I am not a baby sitter. Team members are adults. I tell them to work it out between them.”
“I don’t like conflict. I try to make peace as quickly as possible when I am confronted. I am not sure how to arbitrate disputes when it is between two other people.”

Try My Proven Practices to Address Team Conflict

By:CountryGirlAtHeart

Distinguish between opposing views and opposing each other. The first can lead to a great result. The second goes nowhere. You will clearly see which is happening once you are aware.

Have each person present the other person’s view. This helps turn the conflict into a productive exchange of ideas. Teach this technique and moderate while they are learning.

By:StewF

Hold a team development session to assess each team member’s personality type and discuss how to interact for best teamwork results. A diverse team often produces better results because it has more outlooks and talents. Yet, if team members do not know or understand the dynamics of personality types, you get interpersonal conflict or cliques of similar types. Personality types impact teamwork. Understanding personality types helps to both prevent and resolve interpersonal conflict. The return on your investment of time and money is significant.

Ask yourself, what conditions are leading to this conflict? As a leader, have you been unclear about goals? Have you fallen short in handling organizational politics and put teams at odds with each other? Do you hide from conflict and hope it will just go away?

Instead, show everyone how to communicate honestly with respect and without brutality. Read more at … 4 Spring Training Exercises for Best Teamwork Results

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, consults and trains leaders and their teams on effective communication for best teamwork results. Her 20 years of real life experience has produced these proven results. Sign up for her free info-packed newsletter in the sidebar on this page. Contact her directly for a free phone consultation on your team challenge.

Tags: best, conflict, leaders, results, Teamwork

Posted in Hot Topics and New Bits, Teamwork, leadership

7 Responses to “Best Ways Leaders Address Conflict for Best Teamwork Results”

on 13 Apr 2010 at 8:25 pm1D. Hasatta

I have worked for three very different leaders. The one I had the toughest time with did not want any disagreement at all — ever. I like working with others and being in harmony yet expecting everyone to be smiling and always agreeing is unrealistic. I don’t think it produces the best results.
I really liked your first point: Distinguish between opposing views and opposing each other. Opposing views leads to healthy examination of options.
I wish my former boss could have understood that!
Great post. Glad I found it.
Dee Hasatta
on 15 Apr 2010 at 1:38 pm2Audrey Williams

The above practices to address conflict are worthwhile to think about. They all stem from ‘ATTITUDE” based on “SELF ESTEEM”. This is to say that “the first practice to address conflict is to search within yourself focusing on “self esteem” and your “attitude”.
on 18 Apr 2010 at 7:13 am3Jane Perdue

Kate — it’s good to see you addressing this often-ignored topic. Conflict is a given in the workplace. As Fresh Tracks, a UK-based team development company, observes, “Conflict arises from differences, and when individuals come together in teams, their differences in terms of power, values, and attitudes contribute to the creation of conflict.”
You can distinguish good leaders by how they manage positive conflict (which is healthy) and negative conflict (attacking the who versus the do). Ignoring any kind of conflict is the wrong response, so your tips and pointers are great tools to help leaders work through it!
on 19 Apr 2010 at 7:17 am4Bridget Webber

Kate, this is a great article as it full of rich ideas about how to deal with a difficult subject. I particuarly like the idea about getting individuals to see different points of view, by pretending they are standing in each others shoes. Once people can understand each other better, they are far more likely to resolve issues.
on 03 May 2010 at 5:20 am5MarkSpizer

great post as usual!
on 04 May 2010 at 12:44 pm6Dan (Leadership Freak)

Kate,

Love your post. It’s practical and actionable. I particularly like the idea of having each person state the other persons views. If they aren’t going to engage in active listening, this will surely help.

I’ll add this idea to the mix. Have the “combatants” describe what it looks like if the conflict is solved. I find placing a target before everyone helps people know what the preferred future looks like,

Best to you,

Leadership Freak
Dan Rockwell
My blog: http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com
on 12 May 2010 at 7:41 am7Finding the best CNA School

What a great resource!