Conflict as a Measure of Team Development

Conflict as a Measure of Team Development

The ability of a team to resolve conflict is a valid measure of team development. The role of conflict in work teams is determined by the manner in which it is managed. Conflict is a driving force of change that can result in improved decision-making processes and progressive team development. However, teams must learn to be confrontational without destroying the team process. Teams are able to handle conflict and perform at a high level by following a framework of communication needed for managing conflict constructively. Teams capable of mediating their own conflicts, improve both productivity and member relationships without the fallout.

1. Coercing: is a process in which groups use confrontational tactics, such as argument, use of authority, or threat, to achieve the goals of each group regardless of the expense paid by the other.

2. Withdrawal: is the process by which both parties involved in a disagreement postpone or ignore the issue causing the conflict.

3. Negotiation: is the process by which both groups selectively ignore certain interests in order to reach an agreement, thus achieving partial satisfaction for each side.

4. Accommodation: is the process by which one group neglects its own interests by satisfying the needs of the other group involved.

One of the most used forms of solving conflict in the work place is Drinka's model of team development. It helps display the dynamic changes of conflict through the following developmental phases: forming, norming, confronting, and performing. The forming phase consists of the superficial sharing of names and background information among team members. In this stage, members are unsure of team purposes and are guarded. Conflict is neither discussed, nor addressed. Typically, this is a stage where accommodation is overused, as members size one another up and hesitate to assume strong positioning in the team.

During the norming stage, members address initial conflicts that grow out of a lack of understanding of team goals. Procedures and policies are made in writing. Negotiation is used in the norming stage to help aid in establishing the team's written guidelines. Having a written set of rules and policies keeps situations from erupting into disagreements. Team members refer to these policies as a way of avoiding open conflict. Frustration builds during the advanced stages of the norming phase. At this point, members begin to coerce others in an attempt to retain their power within the team. By contrast, some individuals revert to withdrawal tactics as a way of holding onto their power and to avoid conflict.

The next level is confronting phase. The main point of conflict erupts during this phase, as there is a struggle for leadership and the continued retention of power. Members tend to act coercive toward one another, or other members withdraw. In mid-phase, some members realize the advantages of constructive confrontation as a tool for problem solving. These members go on to become functional leaders. With this