You're having trouble resolving conflicts in your team. What are the best tools to help you out?
Conflict is inevitable in any team, but it can also be a source of creativity and innovation if handled well. However, if you're having trouble resolving conflicts in your team, you might feel frustrated, stressed, and demotivated. Fortunately, there are some tools that can help you out. In this article, we'll explore four of them: the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, the Interest-Based Relational Approach, the Five Whys Technique, and the Ladder of Inference.
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) is a self-assessment tool that helps you identify your preferred style of dealing with conflict. There are five styles: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. Each style has its pros and cons, depending on the situation and the relationship. By taking the TKI, you can learn more about your own strengths and weaknesses, and how to adapt your style to different scenarios. You can also use the TKI to understand your team members' styles, and how to communicate and negotiate with them more effectively.
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Baseball bat or perhaps a hammer are my initial thoughts. But in the office environment grabbing the nearest fire extinguisher might be the best move.
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Navigating team conflicts? The best tools are those that foster open communication. Platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams provide channels for dialogue. Tools like Trello and Asana aid task management, keeping everyone aligned. Don't overlook regular check-ins or feedback sessions—they're invaluable. Also, consider conflict resolution training for a proactive approach. Remember, it's not just about tools; it's about cultivating a culture of understanding and collaboration within your team.
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Conflicts comes in different forms; therefore, one needs to tailor the right approach based on the specific conflict. Resolving conflicts in a team requires a combination of effective communication, active listening, and the use of appropriate tools and strategies. While open communication remains to be one of the best solutions, yet it does not work all the time. This is where leading from purpose becomes essential for an equitable and fair resolution of a said conflict. A good approach would be in the form of conducting conflict management training workshops. In some organizations, conflict management principles of the organization are part of the initial training & onboarding programs that gets tackled early on in people's careers.
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To settle team disagreements, leverage communication systems such as Slack and Trello for task management, as well as conflict resolution courses through LinkedIn Learning. Use anonymous feedback tools and investigate mediation services. Encourage collaboration through decision-making tools and team building. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide further help. Regular check-ins and feedback tools, such as Bonusly, encourage proactive dispute resolution and a pleasant team environment.
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When you’re having trouble resolving conflicts on your team the best tool to use to help you out is to use the TKI assessment. When you use this assessment you get a chance to look at things especially conflicts from another perspective. You get to see which style is your preferred style why also why it’s your preferred style.
The Interest-Based Relational Approach (IBR) is a framework that helps you resolve conflicts in a way that respects and satisfies the needs and interests of both parties. The IBR approach has six steps: separate people from the problem, focus on interests rather than positions, generate a variety of options, use objective criteria, establish mutual agreement, and maintain the relationship. By following these steps, you can avoid personal attacks, emotional reactions, and rigid stances, and instead work towards a win-win solution that builds trust and cooperation.
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In my experience, the first step is not simple at all: before that, you have to remember that you are not your errors. This is the real zero step.
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In my experience open communication and striving to establish mutual agreements are key in unlocking conflicts. Secondly accommodating diversity helps in conflict resolution.
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Approche plutôt intéressante à manier avec une réelle honnêteté pour qu'elle puisse porter des fruits sains. Le risque le plus important est que la gestion de ce type de conflit soit pris en charge par une personne de mauvaise foi, ce qui aboutira à une perte financière importante pour l'entreprise et la non résolution entre parties.
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The Interest-Based Relational Approach is a holistic method that focuses on mutual benefits rather than individual positions. This approach resonates well with a collaborative team environment. Separating people from the problem and emphasizing shared interests helps build a positive atmosphere. By generating various options and using objective criteria, the IBR approach encourages creative problem-solving, fostering innovation within the team. It serves as a foundation for sustainable agreements that not only resolve conflicts but also strengthen relationships over time.
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I would say that the first step is less about removing people and more about identifying what each person values and needs in the conflict. Once you understand this, you can create a safe space for honest discussion and listen carefully to get to the root of the conflict. By understanding one another's perspective in a colled-down environment, you can then work together to find solutions that meet everyone's needs. I recommend considering involving a neutral third party to guide discussions and exploring multiple solutions to address underlying needs. Once you reach a mutual agreement that considers everyone's interests, ensure the agreed-upon solutions are implemented with an action plan and address any remaining issues.
The Five Whys Technique is a problem-solving tool that helps you get to the root cause of a conflict by asking "why" five times. For example, if your team is missing deadlines, you can ask: Why are we missing deadlines? Why are we overloaded with work? Why are we not prioritizing tasks? Why are we not communicating clearly? Why are we not aligned on the goals? By digging deeper into the underlying issues, you can uncover the real sources of conflict, and address them accordingly. You can also use the Five Whys Technique to test your assumptions, challenge your beliefs, and explore different perspectives.
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I think it nearly always makes sense to look at the structures and processes in place that drive certain behavior. In my experience, failures on the individual level - e.g. sloppiness, laziness, and so on - are symptoms of a larger structural problem. Understand the context that is incentivizing certain behaviors. Then move on into understanding the individual behaviors that are not desired.
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Approfondir pour aller jusqu'à la base est véritablement important et permet de comprendre, d'analyser et de résoudre bien des situations. A utiliser sans modération lorsque l'on veut se challenger.
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The Five Whys Technique is a powerful tool for digging deep into the root causes of conflicts. By repeatedly asking "why," individuals and teams can uncover hidden issues that may not be immediately apparent. This method promotes a thorough understanding of the underlying problems, allowing for targeted and effective solutions. Moreover, it encourages a reflective mindset, challenging assumptions and promoting a culture of continuous improvement within the team.
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In a conflict it's our judgements and opinions that are in play, in addition to the emotions they create. Having the presence of mind to use the 5 why's on yourself, when in the middle of a conflict is not always possible. If you can create time to reflect, you can use the five whys to understand your own assumptions, behind those judgements or opinions. Once you have clarity, and possibly recognize that your assumptions were faulty. The question is whether you want to initiate a conversation with the other party to to take responsibility for the contribution your assumptions made to the conflict. The context of the conflict (relationship between you, company culture, etc.) can hinder or promote that step.
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Es dable implementar una plataforma colaborativa en línea que permita a los equipos construir un "árbol de problemas" en tiempo real. Los miembros del equipo podrían identificar y conectar los problemas utilizando la técnica de los Cinco Porqués, desglosando cada nivel y explorando las relaciones entre ellos. Integrar herramientas de realidad virtual para visualizar dinámicamente las causas raíces utilizando la técnica de los Cinco Porqués. Los equipos podrían sumergirse en un entorno virtual donde cada "por qué" lleva a una representación visual de la causa subyacente.
The Ladder of Inference is a model that helps you understand how you and others form opinions and make decisions based on the data you observe. The ladder has seven rungs: observable data, selected data, interpreted data, assumptions, conclusions, beliefs, and actions. As you move up the ladder, you filter, distort, and generalize the information, and create your own reality. This can lead to misunderstandings, biases, and conflicts. To avoid this, you can use the Ladder of Inference to check your reasoning, seek feedback, and share your thinking with others. You can also use it to empathize with others, and see how they reach their own conclusions and beliefs.
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The Ladder of Inference provides a structured framework for examining how perceptions influence decision-making. It's particularly useful for acknowledging biases and misinterpretations that may contribute to conflicts. By recognizing the steps in the ladder, team members can enhance communication and understanding. This tool is not only about self-awareness but also about fostering empathy. It encourages individuals to step back, assess their own thinking processes, and appreciate diverse perspectives within the team, thereby reducing potential sources of conflict.
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La escalera de inferencias como herramienta de toma de decisiones es muy útil cuando se está desarrollando esta habilidad, en los casos en los que el equipo es muy diverso y existen muchas opiniones o puntos de vistas en el conflicto, esta puede ser utilizada con efectividad porque ayuda a todos a visualizar todas las opciones del problema o conflicto y las posibles soluciones, es muy probable que todos se encuentren entonces de acuerdo con la solución o resolución del conflicto decidida, pero también tiene como desventaja que la estructuración puede tomar bastante tiempo, la recomendaría en la etapa en la que los equipos se están formando y aún no se conocen a profundidad.
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Desarrollar una plataforma que integre datos multisensoriales para mejorar la comprensión y toma de decisiones. Los usuarios podrían explorar datos desde diferentes perspectivas, desde lo más concreto hasta interpretaciones más abstractas, utilizando la metáfora de una escalera de inferencia. Crear un simulador interactivo que permita a los usuarios practicar el ascenso por la escalera de inferencia en diversos escenarios. Este enfoque gamificado no solo desarrollaría habilidades cognitivas, sino que también aumentaría la conciencia sobre los posibles sesgos y malentendidos que pueden surgir al tomar decisiones basadas en la interpretación de datos.
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La Escalera de Inferencia, con siete peldaños desde datos observables hasta acciones, desvela cómo se forman opiniones y decisiones basadas en la interpretación de datos. Al ascender, filtramos y generalizamos información, moldeando nuestra realidad y propiciando malentendidos y conflictos. Para mitigar esto, la escalera puede ser empleada para verificar el razonamiento, buscar retroalimentación y compartir pensamientos. Además, facilita la empatía al comprender cómo los demás llegan a sus propias conclusiones y creencias, fomentando una comunicación más efectiva y la resolución de conflictos.
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Cuanto mas nos alejamos de criterios objetivos, nos dividimos en percepciones subjetivas, el primer acuerdo, es sobre la base de lo que es, mas allá de la opinión, eso define el objeto de las discusión. Por eso es tan importante construir sentido en común para tratar la diferencia.
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I've found that conflict drags on when there's lack of clarity on who the *one* decision maker for the problem/conflict is. Everyone thinks they're the decider, which causes things to swirl. Driving clarity on who that one "D" is (at LinkedIn, it's usually the person where the two disagreeing people meet in the org chart) breaks the swirl and makes things move. It might seem a bit harsh to tell people that they don’t actually have the decision on something they thought they had the decision on, but I actually think it’s more empathetic: it’s better to be honest & up-front than it is to drag things on and waste folks time.
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Another method I have recently learned is Nonviolent Communication (NVC) or Compassionate Communication. It aims to increase empathy and understanding of what the feelings and needs are that come up in conflict. It was developed by Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg and there a 4 components of NVC. The first is observation, which is what we see or hear that we recognize stimulates our reaction. The second is feelings in which our needs have been met or have not been met. The goal is to identify, name, and connect to the feelings. The third step is needs and what they are. The final step is the request and what we have in mind to get our needs met. This process also helps remove shaming and judging language.
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Conflict is an inevitable part of working in a team, but it can also be an opportunity for growth and learning. Here is what I do to resolve it: 1. Identify the root cause 2. Listen actively 3. Communicate effectively 4. Find common ground 5. Brainstorm solutions 6. Seek mediation 7. Follow up By addressing conflict in a constructive and respectful manner, you can help your team grow and become stronger.
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Willy Gonzalez(edited)
I learned that joint escalations are a great tool to get to resolution. You work together with the other person/team on a doc explaining the different POVs and you share with the managers or with the next escalation level.
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While team conflict is inevitable, we want to foster healthy non-personal conflict and reduce or prevent unhealthy conflict. However, most advice follows the traditional pathways of focussing on technical or personal (psychological) approaches - e.g. build trust, improve relationships, mediation, etc. A different view is to look at the conflict is through a systemic lens, in particular role. There is always a difference between the stated role (eg job description) and lived role (how someone actually takes up the role). It can be more effective to analyse role conflict by understanding the explicit and implicit assumptions each party is making about their role. Sometimes these are not even in a person’s awareness.
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