The role of positioning, power, influence, and conflict in teams Stage 3 Storming: The role of positioning, power, influence, and conflict in teams

Agenda Handbook project Overview of storming Team-building & conflict styles Conflict dialog Conflict styles Stages, effects & interventions Team time on Handbook Team processing

Q: What is the storming stage? Why does storming usually follow Forming? What characterizes this stage (describe behaviors)? What does the team learn during this stage? Are there any benefits to conflict? What can happen if this stage is not successfully resolved?

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What are your associations to the word, “conflict ” ? Beliefs about conflict… Conflict is generally negative and destructive It is better to ignore small problems Recognizing conflict can make it increase Problems will work themselves out Conflict is the result of bad management There are usually single, simple causes of conflict Assoc & beliefs

Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument: 5 styles of conflict Thomas Kilmann

Conflict Management Plan Conflict Level Low Moderate High What are the characteristics of this level of conflict? What are the effects of this level of conflict? What are options for dealing with it?

The Cost of Conflict Over 65% of performance problems result from strained relationships rather than skill or motivation problems The amount of managerial time spent dealing with conflict was 30% in 1976 and 42% in 1996 Amount of time wasted during conflict can be as high as 50% of gross salary, defending, avoiding & venting Chronic unresolved conflict is a decisive factor in 50% of people leaving, and 90% of involuntary terminations Projected costs should include estimates of wasted time, reduced decision quality, loss of skilled employees, restructuring, sabotage, lowered motivation, lost work time, and health costs, loss of innovation & initiative. Cost of conflict

When it really gets bad… In 1994 18 million cases were filed in US courts at a cost of $300 billion 20% of Fortune 500 executives’ time is spent on litigation related activities Average cost is $80,ooo per case for wrongful discharge and employment related suits The number of employees seeking help for work related conflict went from 23% in 1999 to 30% in 2001; employees seeking help for harassment tripled Total value of lost worktime estimated due to conflict is $1.7 billion (Health & Wellness Research Database, 2005) Presenteeism— when employees who have intent to turnover do not leave the company, but remain with low morale, low productivity, and affect others; 3x higher than absenteeism Conflict accounts for up to 90% of involuntary departures; retraining costs 1.5x salary, Cost cont’d

The Effects of Unresolved Conflict e.g., as a result of poorly managed conflict an employee leaves the company e.g., how long will it take a new employee to be integrated productively into a conflicting team e.g., unpleasant work environment when conflict becomes enculturated

Outcomes of Conflict: The Good, Bad and Ugly clarify important issues & concerns abilities and potentials surface motivate people to do better provide creative, constructive, innovative ideas stimulate energy require new decisions & rules generate changes to prevent future disputes facilitate understanding of people & problem increase trust and improve relationships and the Bad & Ugly… consumes time & energy takes people away from primary tasks promotion of self interest at expense of organization stress induced illness lower morale, sabotage, polarization, job dissatisfaction, loss of productivity, apathy, etc. Good bad ugly

Conflict rises

Teambuilding & conflict style awareness Conflict Management Skills What you need to know Teambuilding & conflict style awareness Types of conflict Level of conflict Problem to solve Disagreement Contest Fight/flight Intractable Your style Interaction of styles Implications of styles Plan for dealing with conflict Facts (easy) Methods Goals Values (difficult) Conflict Management Skills Need to know

Effectively Managing Team Conflict Steps to resolve

Steps to resolve2

Tompkins observed that successful learning teams went through a four-stage process before they achieved collective or organizational learning. The four stages were collaborative climate, collective understanding, collective competency, and continual improvement. Successful groups cycled progressively and sequentially through each stage. However, if a critical event or factor was not achieved, teams “stalled” in the process or cycled recursively to an earlier stage. Methods Establish trust Differences complement Disagree without personal attacks Be direct, not behind backs Understands goals Convergent purpose Champ refocus on issues not people Gatekeeper Team advocate Weigh pros and cons Learn from mistakes No blame Devil’s advocate/challenger Question methods/means High work flow Anticipation of strength/weaknesses Conflict clarifies issues Debate & dialogue

Conflict Analysis Concisely describe the conflict situation (who, what, sources of conflict, stage, symptoms, etc.) Describe the dynamics of the situation that enabled the conflict to emerge and prevented it from resolution (history, norms, stakeholders, crises, etc.) Identify what efforts toward resolution were attempted (what worked and didn’t, why?) What would you recommend (do what, with whom, your rationale) Team task