Conflict Resolution In A Work Team

"Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a group oriented structure and stepwise approach to quantifying the effects of failures, thus allowing (an organization) to set priorities for action." (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis in Health Care, Proactive Risk Reduction, 2004) In this paper, the topic of FMEA, a conflict resolution tool that is widely used in healthcare will be discussed. The formation, background, skills and other attributes of team members will be explained in how the conflict resolution course is processed.

Introduction

A key benefit of FMEA is its team orientation. By using a team approach it increases the team's creativity, knowledge and overall experience to improve the thinking process. The use of FMEA by teams enhances communication, collaboration, and understanding throughout the entire process.

The team should be limited to the conflict being analyzed and the area(s) it has an impact on. These areas should include the parties that were directly involved with the conflict, and parties that will be involved in making changes or fixes to the outcome of that conflict. The team should be compromised with multidisciplinary members having a broad knowledge base and who are respected and credible. The FMEA team should consist from six to eight members for an ideal size, allowing better team performance and efficiency.

There should be serious consideration given to the roles assumed by team members. The team should have a leader who is knowledgeable, interested and skilled both at group consensus building and using FMEA. Also, the leader does not have "the last word" but instead leads the group to a compromise. Team members do not have to be familiar with the FMEA process. The leader who is most knowledgeable can guide the team members through the process. Team members who have knowledge and experience with techniques such as flowcharts, brainstorming, cause and effect diagrams and root cause analysis is helpful in the conflict resolution process.

Cause

Once the FMEA team has been formed, it is necessary that all team members be familiar with how to contribute and participate in the team. If this resource is missing, internal conflicts could arise. "The ability of a team to resolve conflict is a valid measure of team development. Conflict and chaos are central elements to the development of teams; therefore, conflict is an appropriate indicator of team growth. Many teams function in unstable environments, plagued with unanticipated problems. Therefore, there is a strong need for teams to progressively confront conflict in order to extend team growth beyond the early developmental phases." (Drinka, 1994). Conflict in health care teams can and does occur when these meetings take place. Divided loyalties between professional groups and a multidisciplinary team, and territorial disputes between professional groups, can be possible sources of friction. When these situations take place, they can cause the other people in the team to feel excluded that can lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding and poor team performance. "Conflict can occur when there is a lack of understanding of the conceptual framework used by various disciplines and/or a lack of clarity in terms of role expectations and definition." (Interprofessional Team Relationships in the Chronic Care Hospital Setting, 1995) Some people have trouble being a member of a team, especially those people accustomed to making decisions on their own. "There is a sense that a person is giving up one's individuality, yet the contribution to the team produces an end result greater than that achieved by individual effort". (Wisinski 1995) These members who are used to working on their own tend to hold matters that are not openly discussed in meetings until there is something they absolutely do not agree with. "When there are anticipated or actual differences, maneuvering of the situation appeared to be a strategy used among team members. This is done in a manner that is not openly discussed, rather strategized by one person or among a select group within the larger team. For some, this meant "reluctantly co-operating" with the suggested team direction. However, there is a waiting, or hoping, for the care plan to be unsuccessful at which time there is an "I told you so; we now do it my way" response. The underlying premise is to wait for one side to lose, which then means the other side can win."( Interprofessional Team Relationships in the Chronic Care Hospital Setting, 1995 )

In these cases, rules need be established by the team leader to prevent occurrences or conflicts such as decision making, attendance, meeting schedule, disagreements, and assignments. In decision making the group should decide the minimum size for a majority vote count. Attendance to meetings should have guidelines set in order to prevent delays in team efforts, guidelines such as time, dates, and place for meetings. When it comes to disagreements, the team must agree to disagree. Assignments should be completed within proposed deadlines to prevent delayed work.

Managing Conflict

Learning to resolve conflict involves creating relationships and a community. By focusing on what is meaningful and important to the group and individuals, we can find ways to work together. We must pay attention to working relationships as well as the task at hand. How we work together is just as important as what we need to accomplish. What the group should be after is a working relationship, the definition of this is "the ability to negotiate and deal with differences." (Gerardi and Morrison, 2005) Poor working relationships contribute to social and operational conflict. There are techniques and strategies that can help better develop working relationships. This will help control conflict and start the process of resolution. The Team Resolution Process is defined by Rayeski and Bryant (1994) as, "the process by which an individual, when provided an opportunity for improvement, accepts and makes a conscious, personal commitment to act upon this opportunity to enhance their purpose."

Techniques and Strategies to Conflict Resolutions

Identify and analyze the source of the conflict.

What appears to be "the problem" may not be the reason for the conflict. Everyone on the team may have a different view of what the problem at