Managing Conflict in a team

Running Head : CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN A TEAM

Conflict Management in a Team

[The Writer 's Name]

[The Name of the Institution]

Conflict Management in a Team

Definition of Conflict

Relationships among social entities may become inconsistent when two or more of them desire a similar resource that is in short supply when they have partially exclusive behavioral preferences regarding their joint action or when they have different attitudes , values , beliefs and skills . Conflict is the perception of differences of interests among people (Thompson , 2001 . Another definition of conflict would

be Conflict is a process of social interaction involving a struggle over claims to resources , power and status , beliefs , and other preferences and desires . The aims of the parties in conflict may extend from simply attempting to gain acceptance of a preference , or securing a resource advantage , to the extremes of injuring or eliminating opponents (Bisno , 1988

The theme of conflict has been with us and has influenced our thinking from time immemorial . It received different degrees of emphasis from social scientists during various periods of history . Conflict resolution is a tool that can be used in most situations and with most types of disputes . If everyone thought the same , looked the same , and acted the same , conflict would probably not exist . On one hand , the diversity and differences between team members can enhance the intellectual and cultural aspects of a project . But , on the other hand , these same differences can escalate issues if specific guidelines are not set to help avoid them

Levels of Conflict

Understanding the different types of conflicts will make it easier to manage the conflict situations . Conflicts will occur with indifference to our best intentions . There is no one fits all solution the will specifically deal with every type of team conflict that can exist . The ability of the team members to effectively identify and apply the appropriate resolution is critical to the success of the teams ' defined goals . Although conflicts will arise , it is possible to resolve conflicts and disagreements by clarifying expectations , keeping open communication , and encouraging feedback among its members . The diversity of ideas , talents , and experience with a team is the focal difference between working independently and as part of a group

A team is a group of people who work together to achieve a common goal Members of teams should focus on the successful fruition of the defined goal or goals , not only of the individual but , more importantly , the team as a whole . To have a successful team we need to consider certain factors . First , what is the character and personality of each member Understanding the nuances of your partners is beneficial when working to complete individual and joint tasks . Members need to be responsible for the task and or tasks they are assigned . A breakdown in responsibility can be detrimental to the defined common goal or goals and team unity The members need to clearly understand the common goals as defined by the team and the best organizational way...