CONFLICT MANAGEMENT – PMP Tools and Techniques

Conflict Management

Stakeholders can be brought into consensus on the charter’s objectives, success criteria, high-level requirements, project description, and summary milestones through conflict management.

It may be required to employ conflict management strategies to get everyone on the same page regarding the project management strategy.

A high-performing team is the result of a project manager who is able to resolve issues in a timely and productive manner.

Myth : Conflicts are bad

Contrary to the general perception conflicts are not always bad!

Conflicts are sometimes inevitable and managing them will be of great advantage to the team. A good project setting naturally fosters conflict. Disputes might arise from a lack of resources, competing priorities, or different approaches to the job.

Conflict is diminished when teams establish ground rules, establish group norms, and implement sound project management methods including communication planning and role delineation.

How to manage conflicts in a project

1. Members of the project team are first responsible for resolving disputes if they become a negative factor.
2. If the dispute escalates, the project manager should help support a satisfactory resolution.
3. As soon as a disagreement arises, both parties should work together to find a solution in private.
4. If the disruptive conflict persists, formal procedures, including disciplinary actions, may be used.
5. Project managers’ capacity to manage their teams and settle conflicts is crucial to the success of their projects.

It’s possible that various project managers will resolve conflicts in various ways depending on various scenarios that play a role in shaping how conflicts are handled 

What factors influence conflict management

1. The relative strength of the parties involved
2. The urgency with which the conflict must be resolved
3. The value of preserving positive relationships
4. The desire for a quick or permanent solution

What type of conflict resolution should be used

Conflict resolution can be broken down into five distinct strategies. No single method is perfect or universally applicable.

1. Withdraw/avoid – Withdrawing from a tense situation in order to avoid conflict or so that the problem can be solved by someone else.
2. Smooth/accommodate – Putting more emphasis on where you have common ground instead of where you disagree; adjusting your stance to accommodate the wants and desires of others in order to keep the peace and preserve your relationships.
3. Compromise/reconcile – Looking for ways to temporarily or partially end the problem by implementing measures that please all sides. This strategy can occasionally lead to a situation where everyone involved loses.
4. Force/direct – Using one’s position of power to force one’s perspective on others; providing only lose-lose options to a problem. This strategy usually ends in a loss for both parties involved.
5. Work together – Incorporating diverse points of view and insights calls for a collaborative mindset and honest communication, both of which are likely to result in a shared commitment to a course of action. When taken, this strategy has the potential to benefit everyone involved.

Some of the interpersonal and team skills are used to bring the stakeholders to a common ground on the objectives, success criteria, requirements, goals, milestones, and to achieve the best performance from the team.