Developing your team
No one wants to see conflicts arise in their team, and every self-respecting manager wants to be part of a good team. A good team is one that accepts disagreement without conflict. And it's very difficult to put together: there are no tools to identify who will work well with whom. It's a bit like in sport: how many times have we seen a world team bring together the best in the discipline... only to achieve disappointing results, because "it just didn't click". The right team is one that balances autonomy and collaboration. As Emmanuelle Gril puts it in Revue Gestion, "you have to find and assemble the right mix of professional, social and interpersonal skills "1.
The difficulty also lies in the fact that many managers "inherit" their team when they take up a new post, and have to deal with the cards they then hold.
Disagreement or conflict?
Let's clarify the difference between disagreement and conflict.
Disagreeing is a symptom of a healthy team, whose members know they can exchange views freely. Disagreeing allows you to question yourself and, ultimately, make a more informed decision.
Conflict, on the other hand, means that dialogue is no longer possible, that tensions are permanently created, and that relations become potentially toxic. The obvious risk is a deterioration in the working climate, with the corollary of poorer-quality deliverables and departing employees.
Identifying the causes of conflict, but above all anticipating them
There are several possible causes of the frustrations that lead to conflict.
Methods and processes are not shared: everyone works as they see fit, at the risk of disrupting the organization of their colleagues' work. It's time to remind everyone of their roles and responsibilities, who does what and who decides.
The vision of the deliverable is not shared: not everyone subscribes to the project's purpose and objectives. It should be discussed upstream, precisely to validate that the whole team is aligned, because afterwards... it's more complicated. This is a key point, whether it's a new project, a new direction, a new tool - in short, any initiative: it needs to be discussed beforehand, to identify any obstacles and ensure that everyone integrates it into their own history, in line with strategic objectives.
Cultural, ethnic, religious and personal differences can be sources of tension. In such cases, it's important to remind people of the workplace norms and the organization's position on inclusion and diversity. Because while differences can upset our habits, they are also a source of wealth that the organization can capitalize on. Provided that the implementation of an EDI (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) policy is deliberate and well-prepared upstream, and not just a fad, which could then contribute to generating conflict.
It's war!
Sometimes the best of intentions don't produce the desired results: the house is on fire, there's open conflict between employees... what can you do?
You have to take the bull by the horns:
- Convene the stakeholders as soon as possible to listen to everyone's side of the story. First to better understand the situation, then to identify possible solutions or simply to validate that there isn't simply a silly misunderstanding.
- Sorting emotions from facts. The manager then assumes the role of mediator, taking a neutral view of the situation to help employees find their own solution. If they can't, then propose an impartial solution.
- Encourage transparency. Everyone must be able to express their feelings, and the manager must be able to explain why he or she is proposing one way out of the crisis rather than another, geared towards some form of compromise, provided that the parties involved are satisfied with the outcome.
In conclusion
While disagreements are a good sign in a team or organization, conflicts can be detrimental. The sources of conflict are manifold, as are the personalities of the employees involved. It's up to the manager to take steps to create a healthy, psychologically safe environment, which will make it easier to defuse conflicts, and to listen to his or her teams in order to take their pulse and anticipate problems. Finally, he or she must be able to intervene quickly to work out a solution based on the facts and accepted by all.
Beyond the few points addressed here, resolving a conflict requires skills that need to be developed.
To find out more :
Conflict Management: Anticipation and Prevention
