Talk:Managing Groups and Teams/Conflict

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Group #1 WikiBook Plan of Action

Following our individual and team reviews of the existing Groups and Teams WikiBook Conflict Chapter, we have agreed that there are at least a few areas of the chapter that we can improve upon. To start off, we think that conflict should initially be better defined so as to give a solid basis for the chapter and the information that it contains. We also have agreed that it would be useful if there were more (some) illustrations and better examples or stories that focus on conflict in an effort to tighten the chapter and more so support our conclusions, if you will. We also unanimously concur that positive conflict has its merits, relevance, and benefits, none of which have been incorporated into the chapter. The layout and format also seem a bit inconsistent and potentially confusing to readers. We plan to better organize the chapter to help make it more easily accessible to readers and useful in a visually appealing manner.

To accomplish the aforementioned goals for the WikiBook project, we have created a revised outline and will work on and complete the given sections and tasks contained therein. We now have a much better understanding of each other’s potential strengths and areas for opportunity in this project, which stems from our post-class team meeting on June 20 where these topics were addressed and disclosed by each team member to the team in a group discussion. In this meeting we all became more familiar with each other and better equipped to understand how each team member works best and thought about how to best utilize a given team member’s abilities, likes, and desires into the project.  It was in this meeting that we also set up a team process and general protocol for “checking out” the WikiBook, which entails e-mailing all team members when doing so in an effort to maintain the overall cohesive construction and peer review of the WikiBook.

Proposed Outline for changes to chapter

I) Definition & brief introduction

       a. Can exist between factions or groups within a team, with a leader or manager, and with other teams or               departments within the company.

II) Positive Conflict

       a. Definition
         i. Process / Task conflict
       b. Why is it important to have
         i.   Avoiding groupthink (bay of pigs example)
         ii.  Generating more innovative ideas
       c. How to create
         i.   Heterogenous groups / diversity
         ii.  Create norm of psychological safety
         iii. Create roles such as Devil’s Advocate (alternating)

III) Negative Conflict

       a. Definition
         i.   Personal Conflict
       b. Why is it important to avoid
          i.   Reduces productivity
          ii.  Reduces moral
          iii. H/R issues and lawsuit potential
          iv. Increases collaborative culture
       c. How to avoid or resolve 
          i. Big 5 Personality traits: understanding each other 
          ii. Reveal commonalities between group members
          iii. Avoid in-groups / out-groups: focus on common goal; School bus example (creating opportunity to interact not  enough… this only creates more opportunity to quarrel… must create scenario that leads group to work toward unified goal)
          iv. Foster open communication
          v. Address conflict immediately: call it to the table
          vi. Coach listening skills: Seek first to understand and second to be understood; validation & clarifying statements
          vii. Defusing stereotypes
          viii.Reframing the problem and separate the problem from the person
          ix. Job shadowing or similar exercise to open mind to other’s perspective

IV) Framework Models / Illustrations

       a. Thoughts lead to feelings lead to actions lead to results (illustration)
       b. LaFasto and Larson “Connect Model”
          i. Commit to relationship
            1. example of what this sounds like
          ii. Optimize safety
            1. Example of what this sounds like
          iii. Narrow to one issue
            1. Example of what this sounds like
          iv. Neutralize defensiveness
            1. Example of what this sounds like
          v. Explain and echo
            1. Example of what this sounds like
          vi. Change one behavior each
            1. Example of what this sounds like
          vii. Track it
            1. Example of what this sounds like

V) Summary