Today’s post brings us back to another teamwork skill, that of conflict management. With teams excelling because of their differences, conflict is inevitable. In fact, it’s likely that conflict will be part of a creative, and innovative team environment.

In working through conflict, it is important to think about the following:
How do you approach conflict? Are you a conflict averter? Are you an embracer of conflict? Are you a conflict creator?

How is conflict addressed in your organization? Within your team? Is this the best way to approach conflict?

As you think about the approaches you use around conflict how does it relate to the importance of the relationships which exist? The results you are looking after? If you were to adjust your approach for the benefit of the results and relationships you are looking for, what changes would you make?

On this note, we usually want to adjust our approach to conflict based on how important the end result and relationships are. If the result is important, we may choose to push for that, at the expense of the relationship or making someone angry. If the relationship is important and the result is not, we may choose to compromise. If both the relationship and result is important we may opt to collaborate.

What’s the cost of not addressing conflict?

If you were to make one adjustment around conflict, what would that be?

For more on the topic of teamwork and conflict, check out these past Teams365 posts.
​
Enjoy your Wednesday,
Jennifer

It’s the start of a new month, and  time for a new focus here at the Teams365 blog. This month we are going to focus on teamwork skills. Whether you work as an intact team, a project team or a remote team, teamwork skills are cross-cutting and help professionals at all stages of their careers do better work.
The context of teamwork has changed. In the past, teams were together for longer windows, with much more stability. Today most teams experience ongoing change and team composition. Researcher Amy Edmonston terms this “Teaming” and writes, “actively building and developing teams even as a project is in process, while realizing that a team's composition may change at any given moment.” (Teaming, Edmonston 2013)
She flags four behaviors as essential in the teaming context:

• Speaking Up
• Collaboration
• Experimentation
• Reflection

What are you doing to foster these areas?
The teamwork skills we are going to explore this month are:

• Trust
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Working Across Differences
• Relationship Management
• Conflict Management
• Emotional Intelligence
• Change Management
• Influence

For each of the areas we’ll explore what the skill is about, why it’s important. What some of the differences are in the different types of teams today. I’ll also point you back to some of the many posts I’ve already written on these topics.
Looking forward to starting this journey with you this month.

Best,
Jennifer

This week's Virtual and Remote Team Development Activity took us into the realm of conflict management. Whether it's having courageous conversations, or navigating conflict, this is a skill set that many team members do not feel comfortable with.

In today's #FlashbackFriday's post,  I wanted to take us back to two earlier posts I wrote - one on different approaches to conflict (Teams365 #510) and the other on Four Keys to Navigating Conflict (Teams #512).

In approaching different conflicts, there may be several different stances we can take. Many conflict resolution models focus on taking a different stance according to how important the relationship or results is. Here's what I wrote in Teams365 #510:

"Our ability to work through differences and conflict is a key skill for leaders and team members. What we know from research is that complimentary skill sets often make a team strong. In saying this, it may mean that we have different styles which exist, which means that what we value and how we interrelate with the world is different.

What is your natural style in navigating conflict? Different conflict models may have different names for these but we may demonstrate one of many styles including:

Accommodate  - often when the relationship is important but the results are not we will accommodate to enable the other party to have their preferred outcome. In accommodation the other party wins, at our loss.

Compromise – Compromise may be important when the outcome is important for both of us, as is the relationship. In compromise, I win some and you win some, but neither party really win.

Avoid – There are instances where it makes sense to avoid conflict and sweep things under the rug. The challenge and danger with this over time is that the issue can fester, and the small minuscule issue can grow into an elephant. Where is may be appropriate to avoid conflict is when the issue is not important and the relationship is not important. IN avoiding I lose and you lose.

Collaboration - Collaboration takes time and may be the preferred solution when relationships and results are both important. Not every situation warrants collaboration, and as Morten Hanson writes in his books, Don’t collaborate just for collaboration’s sake. While collaboration often takes more time, it can be the best outcome. In collaboration I win and you win.

Compete – We may choose to compete to achieve an important outcome when the results are key and the relationship is not as important. When competing we need to be aware of when it becomes too aggressive. In competition I win and you lose

As you consider these five different styles, what are examples of each one and how you and others would benefit from adopting that approach? When might the approach be beneficial?

 For those interested in learning about their own style or supporting team members in this area, one interesting online resource I found was Conflict 911.com/resources


Here is what I wrote in Teams365 #511 - Four Keys to Navigating Conflict:

Yesterday I focused on different approaches to conflict – accommodation, compromise, collaboration, avoiding and n completion when faced with conflict, What else is possible? Today's post focuses on four things you can do every day when thinking and working around conflict.

1. Be proactive and address conflict early on – While easier said than done, many view navigating conflict as very challenging, in part because issues may have escalated even more than at the start.
   
   
2. Find the common ground – Finding similar vantage points or even “slivers” where you can see “eye to eye” is a starting point in navigating conflict. These mini-windows are opportunities to open dialogue and mutual problem solving, rather than raising walls.
   
   
3. Recognize that conflict can be a healthy thing when we have the tools to navigate it. Where cultures do not recognize that conflict is a normal and natural part of human relationships, it may be minimized and swept under the rug, or it can be seen as “abnormal” and “vilified” where something is wrong. What is the culture at your workplace around conflict.
   
   
4. Invest in your skills in navigating conflict. Conflict management is not always well modelled in our work places and families. If this has been your case it can be useful to invest in some professional development and/or mentoring so you have more phrases and even a model or process to follow. Where is conflict management well modelled? What tools and resources are people using?
   
   

Navigating differences is an important skill set for today’s global environment. What actions do you want to take towards building your skills and capacity?

Have  a great end of the week,
Jennifer

As we continue our journey in the 20 Activities to Use with Your Virtual or Remote team, #11 in this series brings us to the important, and inevitable topic  of conflict. Conflict in virtual teams may be below the waterline, and it may be common for virtual team members to try to skirt the conflict until they need to address it.

Conflict in virtual teams can be due to many issues including:

• Not feeling like you are understood
  
• Not feeling valued
• Conflict around priorities
• Disagreement about what’s important
• A disconnect with values – what’s important in your work
• A divergence in your approaches
  

There are many different models for conflict resolution, with most pointing to the importance of finding common ground, as well as keeping in mind the importance of your outcome and results.

In a virtual team it is often harder to know about what your co-workers styles are and what they value. Being able to surface the difficult issues (see last week's Teams365 blog post) and having a shared process to do so is very important in addressing conflict.

Activity - A Facilitated Discussion on Conflict
Amount of time: 15-45 minutes
As a virtual team it can be useful to have the discussion about your natural approaches to conflict before you even experience it. One of the approaches which I have found to be useful in warming up to the discussion around conflict is to get people to share their thoughts on these question:
On a scale of 1-10, how difficult is it for you to surface conflict?
This helps the team to start recognizing the range of how people may even approach the topic area of conflict.

Other questions you may want to surface are:
What have been some past examples of conflict you've experienced in  your work? How have you successfully resolved them?
How do you react when you face conflict at work? (Do you withdraw? Fight back?)
What are the current "hotspots" or potentials for conflict in your work?
What can we do to support you on this?

There are several different tools and processes you can use to help people explore conflict. Two that we offer to teams are the TKI and the Everything DiSC Predictive Conflict Tool. Contact me to discuss how we could support your team in having these conversations.

Have a great Wednesday,
Jennifer

It's Friday and time for another Flashback Friday. This week I'm taking us back to #Teams365 #626, a post from September 2016. Even though things continue to change dramatically in some industries, one area which I continue to see leaders struggle with it Difficult Conversations. My post from 2016 highlighted several resources which leaders will find useful in their difficult conversations. Here's what I wrote in Teams365 #626:

If I were to identify one area earmarked as a "must have more of" from leaders it is resources and practice in holding difficult conversations. Consider your work right now, what difficult conversations are needed this week? Next week?

Newer leaders, and sometimes even very seasoned leaders, are uncomfortable and not confident in raising the issues that need to be raised. For those that are looking for more resources on this topic, I would encourage you to check out:

Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Grenney, McMillian and Switzler

Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott

Thanks for the Feedback - the Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well - Douglas Stone and Shelia Heen

Difficult Conversations - How To Discuss What Matters Most - also by Doublas Stone

The Discomfort Zone - How Leaders Trun Difficult Conversations into Breakthroughs - Marcia Reynolds

******************************************************
​Whether I am working with new leaders, seasoned leaders or entire teams, it is likely that the topic of difficult conversations will be brought up, and the yearning to become more proficient in having them. 

​A couple of other resources which I also have been recommending lately are:

​Conversational Intelligence by Judith Glaser. Given my own recent professional development in this area, and appreciating the rich resource base Judith has drawn on in creating this work, I am weaving in CI-Q elements into both training and coaching initiatives for leaders and teams. Contact me for more information on how we can bring this into programs at your organization.

​I've also been reaching back to Steven Covey's Seminal work in the Seven Habits of Highly Effectivve People and a reminder of his principle of "seek first to understand and then be understood".

​What resources do you recommend around Difficult Conversations?

​Have a great weekend,
​Jennifer

It is Friday and time to take a look back at one of our more than 1100 blog posts. Yesterday I focused on matrix management in our weekly team building tip and I thought it would be useful to take a look back at one of our past posts on matrix management, namely - sources of conflict in matrix management teams. With the growth of more virtual teams being able to surface and address conflict in the virtual realm is becoming a well needed skill set. Many times conflict in the virtual domain is easy to ignore, but has the ultimate impact of lower productivity and results. Given the long distance relationship this can lead to significant fails and impact.

So how do we become more proactive in addressing conflict within virtual teams and the matrix management environment? We need to be aware of where conflict may stem from. Consider these sources which I initially  mentioned in Teams365 # 601

"Matrix leadership and team arrangements are becoming much ore common place today. Once only relegated to project and global teams, matrix arrangements are much more common-place. It can be important to recognize acknowledge potential sources of conflict, so that you are aware of them and can mitigate.

Here's a list of potential sources of conflict in matrix teams include:
* Conflict between local level priorities and global or project priorities
* Conflict between direction and style of local leader and matrix leader
* Style conflict
* Potential conflict on multiple levels around communication styles - direct versus indirect communication - (refer to Geert Hofstede's Culture scales)
* Conflict created by working across multiple time zones which can impact meeting times, and perceived favoritism
* Conflict around resourcing (perceived and real)
* Conflict around team membership - my "local" team and my "project" team
* Conflict around team culture - how things are done on different teams and what's acceptable and not

These are just a small representation of potential conflicts created in the matrix environment. What is important is to equip team members with enhanced skills in working across differences and recognizing your impact with others.

What do you see as possible conflicts which could emerge in your matrix work?"

If you are a matrix manager this week take the opportunity to discuss with your team members in their one on ones where potential conflicts exist, or could exist, and how together you want to resolve them.

Have a great Thursday,
Jennifer

Creating harmonious teams can feel like a lofty ideal for teams that are not able to work across differences. Sometimes, conflicts can go on for a significant amount of time without being resolved.

​Whether it's due to resource issues, perceived lack of compatibility around goals, priorities or personalities, protracted conflict can have serious implications. From lowered productivity to a toxic work environment, it's important to get people thinking about  "What's at stake if you don't resolve your conflict?". Could it mean a shift to a toxic team environment? Impact on your customer base? Impact on results?

​At the same token, asking "What's the cost of not resolving conflict?" is another key question to be asking.

​Conflict is an area which many professionals struggle with in today's workplace. Becoming more aware of our own conflict style and skills to work around and across differences is a core competency for all team members today.  T his is especially true for global and virtual teams where we have additional layers of differences - language, priorities, timezones etc.

​Take a look at past posts I've written on conflict and working across differences. 

​Contact me to discuss how we could support your team in becoming more proficient in working across differences, and conflict, starting with becoming more aware of your own styles, strengths and communication practices. Email us here to discuss.

​Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

Conflict resolution

The differences which exist in teams – from personalities to priorities, different resources and skills can lead to conflict, both overt and covert. In fact conflict is part the healthy development of teams. What is not always healthy is how we address it
Questions to consider

• What conflicts exist on the team right now? What is at the heart of it(resources/priorities etc
  
• How do team members react to conflict?
• What shared processes or models do you have for addressing conflicts
• What is important to address within the team right now?
• What are next steps?

 
How to support teams during conflict:

• Normalize it. Flag and discuss openly potential sources  of conflict and how you want to deal with it
  
• Help people understand how they naturally approach conflict. Do they compromise, accommodate, compete? We may have some natural approaches which may or may not be the best solution, For example, competition when collaboration is needed
  
• Have a shared approach for dealing with conflict – for example models  such as Susan Scott’s Fierce Conversations or  Difficult Conversations
  
• Provide people with the space and tools to work through conflict – this takes time. Prioritize it and provide support when conflict needs to be addressed
  

Have a great Wednesday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

Today's Team quote points us to the important, and often challenging area, of conflict within team s and how for many teams today conflict is seen as something that is scary and uncomfortable. In fact, a team's ability to surface alternative vantage points and work through differences is a core competency for high performance
What can you do to become more comfortable and skilled as a team to work across differences and through conflict?
Check out past posts which have touched on the topic of conflict.

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Potentials Realized: Coaching | Teamwork | Leadership
Supporting Team Leaders to do their best work, one conversation at a time
Author of From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Authorized Partner of Everything DiSC and the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team

Today's Sunday quote is an acknowledgement that great teams are able to navigate conflict successfully. In fact, conflict is part of what helps them excel. This is a great quote by Peter Senge.

Check out past posts I have written about conflict here at the TEams365 blog including:
Teamse65 #515: 6 Leadership Questions a Day - Conflict
TEams365 #511: Four Keys to Navigating Conflict
Teams365 #524 - Working Across Differences in Your Virtual Team

Conflict is a healhty part of team development. Where it is not healhty is when teams get stuck in it, and/or they do not know how to have the difficult conversations which need to be surfaced.

How are you creating an environment of healthy conflict management and working across differences?

Best wishes,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Potentials Realized
Supporting Team Leaders to do their best work, one conversation at a time
Coaching Skills Training | Teamwork | Leadership
Author of From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
(416)996-TEAM (8326)