Team Dynamics 

Team members can do a lot of things to avoid conflict from happening throughout the process.

Being concerned with other's viewpoints: Other people have thoughts too just like us. Make sure that we are listening to them. Who knows, they might even have a better idea than us. Shutting a person off when they are trying to make a point may shut them off with future ideas also as well as creating contempt for the person/s not listening to them.

Deal with specific issues only: The leader must make sure that issues discussed are clear and the team doesn't start rambling off into other areas not issue related. This is very commonplace in team meetings when everyone is exited about problem solving. Don't bring sideline issues into the discussion or soon everyone is lost and conflict will happen.

Stick to the here and now: The leader cannot allow unpleasant issues from other areas into discussions. Failures of the past do not belong in discussions for future successes unless they have a positive value to reinforce direction. Also, no one should be allowed to bring in pcsrsonal issues of no relation to the subject at hand.

Disclose all pertinent information: Some members will have a tendency to withhold certain information to give them a little edge over others. This is converse to team playing and if discovered by the leader should be brought to their attention immediately. All known information must be shared with all. If we are a team we cannot leave others out from any knowledge that is necessary to accomplish the objectives.

Start with easiest to resolve issues first: If we pick issues that are easier to solve first it gives us a feeling of what success is like. We now have something under our belts that shows progress has been made. It's a great set-up to take on the issues that will take longer to solve and will perhaps be harder to accomplish. It's always best to be able to look back and feel that a certain amount of progress has already been made.

There are five accepted methods for handling negative conflict when it does happen: Direct, Bargaining, Enforcement, Retreat and De-emphasis. Each will have a use in different circumstances.

This method is perhaps the best of all. This concentrates on the leader handling the issue head-on and counts on their techniques of problem solving. It is always best to look at issues for what they are, even if they may be uncomfortable to deal with. The leader must make sure that when criticism is used in this area, though, that is highly constructive to the recipients. The direct approach normally leaves everyone with a sense of resolution because it doesn't hide any of the real issues. All issues must be openly discussed.

Bargaining is an excellent technique when two or more people are both coming up with great ideas but yet cannot find common ground. It often takes a leader to find the compromise. Ownership of our ideas is very strong and when we're selling them ourselves we often don't look to the other persons ideas as an enhancement to ours. Compromise allows all parties to walk away EQUALLY DISSATISFIED! All players must give and take some in this method.

This method should be used only on rare occasion. It is dangerous and can often bring about hard feelings towards the leader and the team. This is the win/lose situation that we would like to avoid if possible. Enforcement would only be used when all other methods have failed. Most often this technique is only used when it is obvious that a member does not want to be a team player and refuses to work with the rest. In this case we may have to sacrifice one to save the whole. The normal recommendation here is that if enforcement has to be used on an individual it may be best for that person to find another team that they do like.