Solving conflicts

A student ask me: “How do you solve conflict in a project team? What is the pattern of a conflict and what would you do if you are a project manager?

Answer: Conflicts happen in every project due to personality clashes; disagreement on how to do work and many other reasons. As a project manager, you must solve any conflict before it gets out of control. The best way is to make sure that both sides are coming up with the solution on their own since you cannot solve it for them; even if you do, they may not be happy with your solution.

As project manager you must arrange a meeting with each individual involved in the conflict. It is important to listen to each person’s view, everybody has something to say so you must listen carefully and do not hurry to come up with any conclusion. You must ask what the issue is. What do they want? What would be the possible solution? What are other alternatives? How can they get pass the issue and working together again. It is important to explain that the conflict between them is affecting the project and the team as a whole.

After listening to both sides and understand the issue well, you ask both sides come to your office together. Your role will be to get them talking to each other about their issue, as well as ideas to resolve the conflict and coming to an agreement on how to resolve it. It is important to remember that you cannot solve it for them but they must do it themselves. You are facilitating the discussion for them and help them solve the conflict among themselves.

Of course, sometimes agreement cannot be reached. In this worst situation, you must come up with a temporary solution that allows them to work together. It is usually separate their interactions by assign them into different group, different tasks although they still have to work together professionally toward the successful of the project. You need to explain to them that they must understand that as the last solution before dramatic action can be implemented.

As project manager, you will need to do a follow up with them individually to check on how things are working, and provide them the support they need to continue to work toward the common goals of the project. Your objective is to help them understand how they are going to get through this project by being professional with each other.

Sources

  • Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University