Conflict is a way of life and it can surface anytime during the project cycle. Conflict can arise over sharing people, equipment, supplies, or money; over goals and specifications; between personalities; over differences of opinion; and even over power.
The potential for conflict is highest, however, at the beginning, when a project manager competes for resources or when difficulties arise over contractual requirements. And conflict at the beginning can lead to even more difficulties later if it is not addressed properly. The potential for conflict is high, too, at the end of the cycle, when participants face schedule pressures. Conflict in and of itself is not bad. It can alert project managers to problems that must be addressed. The challenge is to manage the conflict in a manner that leads to project success rather than failure.
Project managers, like all people, deal with conflict differently. Some project managers avoid it, letting it smolder. Some project managers give up every time a conflict surfaces. Other project managers deny that conflict exists at all. And some masterfully blame others. These are all defense mechanisms. Nevertheless, they do not deal with the conflict. All these mechanisms manage to do is avoid conflict or push it into the background.
The question, then, is how to deal with conflict constructively.
1. He should diffuse the charged emotion within himself. If he has to, he will do something as simple as count to ten before doing anything.
2. He should diffuse the charged emotions in other people. He will calm down people by calling for a cooling-off period, especially when emotions run high.
3. He should identify the facts of the situation to determine the cause of the conflict. He avoids comments that can be viewed as taking sides or being accusational.
4. He should apply active listening. He listens for the facts to acquire an objective assessment of the situation. Active listening helps to avoid being “pulled into” the conflict.
5. He should acknowledge any anger that may be present, while focusing on the merits of the conflict. If anger is justified, he acknowledges it.
6. He should keep everyone focused on the cause of the conflict. He avoids the tendency to blame someone or to rationalize it away.
7. He should keep the big picture in focus. He asks himself what the best way is to resolve the conflict so as to achieve the project goal.
8. He should set a plan for resolving the conflict. He also remains objective.
9. He should seek participation in the resolution. Unless an impasse occurs, he lets the people decide on a mutually agreeable solution. That builds bridges and commitment to the solution.
10. He should encourage a win-win solution, not a win-lose or lose-lose. With a win-win solution, emotions will subside and there will be little or no room for bitterness.
