Conflict Management

Conflict Scenario Analysis

In this article, a hypothetical scenario of a team conflict that can affect a company is analyzed and discussed by the members of our learning team. The details of the scenario are described below.

As the Just Right Tire Company is about to introduce a new product line, a group of employees in the marketing department is working on the ads development for the new tires. This is a very important event for the company; however, conflict arises when two members of the team, Mark and Jan, disagree with the details for the ads design. Sally, the third member of the group, has been trying to talk to her teammates into making a compromise, but they refuse to accept the other's ideas for the ads development. Because of their unwillingness to work together, the group is as risk of missing the project deadline.

At this time, an in-touch manager should be well aware of the conflict existing between the members of the team. To assist the group, a manager should strive to help the group resolve the conflict as soon as possible and guide the team of the team to work more productively. To facilitate immediate resolution, the manager must meet face-to-face with Jan, Mark, and Sally to encourage team discussion of issues that each has with the project. Although team conflict is challenging for project leaders, it can bring new ideas and important issues to the surface, according to Michael Stanleigh of the Business Improvement Architects group.

Before discussing the conflict, the manager should acknowledge the exceptional teamwork and past collaboration that made the ads created by the group very successful. As a result, the group productivity increased because of their complimentary expertise, as each member of the team excels in different areas of ads development. Together with their unique experiences, the collective strength is much greater than the individual ability. Each member of