Conflict is part of life. Rather it is a difference in opinions, time management, or personal affairs - conflict is almost inevitable when bringing together a dynamic team of people to accomplish a task because each person in the said team attributes positive and negative elements to the process. The team should anticipate that there will be some sort of conflict, and have strategies in place to combat such instances. Conflict resolution builds stronger, more cohesive relationships within the team - which results in more successful final outcomes. Dr. Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are great guidelines for team members to apply when seeking to better understand each other and build better relationships within the team environment.
The first habit is to be proactive. Take control of the environment before it can take control of the situation. The team should have the authority to set their own goals, make decisions, and solve problems. With this type of empowerment, comes responsibility that each member must be willing to assume – and thus, the team leader must be willing to share. A successful team has a sense of trust that is earned through consistent words and actions (Temme, 1995). Team members must live up to their commitments, but realistically, this does not always happen. Anticipating conflict and having resolution strategies in place is being proactive. Forming a team charter up front is a good way to set the teams’ ground rules in writing, so individuals know what is expected out of each member. Doing this provides each member with the opportunity to voice their own concerns and expectations, however, one must realize that not all conflicts can be anticipated in the beginning.
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