Manage Conflict 1.0

Question 1

What are five general techniques for resolving conflict and thier common results? (WSCFC)

Answer 1

1. Withdraw / Avoid (lose-lose)
2. Smooth / Accommodate (lose-win)
3. Compromise / Reconcile (moderate lose-moderate lose)
4. Force / Direct (win-lose)
5. Collaborate / Problem-Solve (win-win)

Question 2

What conflict resolving technique should be used for low-stakes, non-pressing siturations?

Answer 2

Withdraw / Avoid
Project managers avoid or postpone the issue until they are better prepared to address it or let it be resolved by others. This technique is best for low-stakes, non-pressing situations.

Question 3

What conflict resolving technique should be used to maintain the harmony or relationship of the team?

Answer 3

Smooth / Accommodate
One party concedes their position and instead emphasizes areas where differing parties actually agree. “Project leaders do not always have direct authority over conflicting parties, so instead of demanding an agreement, they’ll need to use people skills, such as emotional intelligence, leadership, and influence, to nudge the parties toward a resolution,”

Question 4

What conflict resolving technique involves searching for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to all parties?

Answer 4

Compromise / Reconcile
Temporarily or partially resolves the conflict. This technique occasionally results in a lose-lose situation.

Question 5

What conflict resolving technique involves one party that pushes their viewpoint at the expense of others, offering only win-lose solutions?

Answer 5

Force/Direct
This option is often enforced from a position of power to resolve an emergency. “For example, when dealing with a potentially dangerous work situation involving the proper processes for protecting individuals from falling off a building on a construction site, the approach may be directive and, if necessary, dictatorial,”

Question 6

What conflict resolving technique seeks to incorporate multiple viewpoints and insights from differing perspectives, to reach a consensus?

Answer 6

Collaborate / Problem-Solve
all parties must have a cooperative attitude and open dialogue. While this technique typically requires more effort, it can result in a win-win situation. “If the issue is over providing funds for the next project phase or arranging teamwork priorities, a more collaborative approach may work better,”

Question 7

Who determines which resolution technique is right for the conflict at hand?

Answer 7

Project Leaders
Project managers may play a number of roles, from facilitators to decision-makers. The specific role depends on the individuals involved, the team dynamics, and the specific conflict.

Question 8

Name 4 things a project manager should take into account when considering which resolution technique to use to solve a conflict? (I,T,Pp,Gr)

Answer 8

1. intensity of the conflict
2. the time pressure for resolving it
3. the relative power of the people involved
4. the importance of maintaining good relationships

Question 9

What should a project manager alwasy keep in mind when resolving conflict?

Answer 9

the ultimate goal: project success

Because humans execute projects, “our perceptions, risk tolerance and emotions come into play, causing the need to adjust agreements to reach common goals and objectives.

It is in the establishment of these objectives that we, as humans, negotiate to meet our individual needs within the understood common goals.

Question 10

What is conflict?

Answer 10

Any situation where your concerns or desires differ from another person’s

• Fighting, quarrel, struggle, disagreement, a difference of opinion
• Clash between hostile or opposing elements or ideas
• Can vary from a mild disagreement to emotion-packed confrontations

Question 11

What is the contemporary viewpoint of conflicts in the project environment? (5x I,B,D,B,M)

Answer 11

are inevitable
can build the team
can destroy the team
are often beneficial

MUST be managed

Question 12

Names 7 common
sources of conflicts in the project environment? (S,puC,Rc,Ti,Os,Cb,pP)

Answer 12

1. Schedules
2. Prior unresolved conflicts
3. Resource competition
4. Technical issues
5. Organization structure
6. Communication barriers
7. Poor planning

Question 13

Name 8 elements or “pressure cooker” points
that are key contributing factors to project conflicts?

(hSe,aRR,mB,aTc,uD,loR,iF,iL)

Answer 13

1. High-stress environment
2. Ambiguous roles/responsibilities
3. Multiple boss situation
4. Advance technology complexities
5. Unrealistic deadlines
6. Lack of resources
7. Insufficient funding
8. Inept leadership

Question 14

Who is the SPOC (single point of contact,) and has the authority to facilitate conflict resolutions?

Answer 14

project ‘team leader’

Question 15

Project Manager vs Project Team Lead

Answer 15

While project managers have final decision-making power on tasks, project leaders focus more on guiding and motivating team members to work together as efficiently as possible. They see project success through having a successful team and encouraging them throughout the entire process.

Question 16

In what work structure do team members report to multiple leaders?

Answer 16

Matrix
In a matrix organization, team members (whether remote or in-house) report to a project manager as well as their department head. This management structure can help your company create new products and services without realigning teams.

Question 17

Name 5 major barriers in a project team?
(Dpij,Rc,LoC,Cp,Gs)

Answer 17

1. Different priorities, interests, and judgment of team members
2. Role conflicts
3. Lack of commitment
4. Communication problems
5. Geographic scatter of team members

Question 18

Name 4 symptoms of bad teamwork?
(Lt,Ls,uC,uM)

Answer 18

1. Lack of trust or confidence in the project manager
2. Lack of synergy
3. Unhealthy competitions
4. Unproductive meetings

Question 19

What principle states that as the team develops maturity and ability, relationships establish, and leadership style changes to more collaborative or shared leadership.

Answer 19

The Tuckman Principle

Question 20

What are the 5 stages of team evolution?

Answer 20

1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning (mourning)

Question 21

In what stage of the team’s evolution requires putting the structure of the team together?

Answer 21

Forming
Team members feel ambiguous and conflict is avoided at all costs due to the need to be accepted into the group. Team members look to a group leader for direction and guidance.

Question 22

What stage of the team’s evolution involves
the process of organizing tasks
and processes surface interpersonal conflicts?

Answer 22

Storming
Leadership, power, and structural issues dominate this stage.

Question 23

What is needed to advance from the Storming stage of the team’s development?

Answer 23

In order to progress to the next stage, group members must move from a “testing and proving” mentality to a problem-solving mentality.

Try to understand what your teammates trying to say.

Question 24

In what stage of the team’s evolution involves creating new ways of doing and being together?

Answer 24

Norming
As the group develops cohesion, leadership changes from ‘one’ teammate in charge to shared leadership. Team members learn they have to trust one another for shared leadership to be effective.

Question 25

What is a major drawback that can happen during the Norming stage?

Answer 25

The major drawback of the norming stage is that members may begin to fear the inevitable future breakup of the team; they may resist change of any sort.

Question 26

In what stage of the team’s evolution does collaboration emerge and the team’s work ethic and shared leadership is understood.

Answer 26

Norming
Group members share feelings and ideas, solicit and give feedback to one another, and explore actions related to the task. Creativity is high.

Question 27

In what stage of the team’s evolution is true interdependence the norm?

Answer 27

Performing
The team is flexible as individuals adapt to meet the needs of other team members. This is a highly productive stage both personally and professionally.

Question 28

In what stage of the team’s evolution can people work independently, in subgroups, or as a total unit with equal competencies?

Answer 28

Performing
The Performing stage is not reached by all groups. If group members are able to evolve to stage four, their capacity, range, and depth of personal relations expand to true interdependence.

Question 29

In what stage of the team’s evolution do team members need to manage their feelings of termination and transition?

Answer 29

Adjourning
In this stage typically team members continue to work productively but are ready to leave causing significant change to the team structure, membership, or purpose.

Question 30

What does a planned conclusion of a project team entail?

Answer 30

recognition for participation and achievement
and an opportunity for members to say personal goodbyes.

Concluding a group can create some apprehension – in effect, a minor crisis. The termination of the group is a regressive movement from giving up control to giving up inclusion in the group.

Question 31

Lack of trust or confidence in the project manager is a symptom of what in a project team?

Answer 31

Bad Teamwork
Other symptoms:
- Lack of synergy
- Unhealthy competitions
- Unproductive meetings

Question 32

How do different priorities, interests, and judgment of team members affet the project team?

Answer 32

Can be a major barrier
Other barriers:
- Role conflicts
- lack of commitment
- communication problems
- geographic scatter of team members

Question 33

How can the lack of resources and/or unrealistic deadlines affet the project?

Answer 33

may be key contributing factors to project conflicts

Question 34

How can prior unresolved conflicts and/or technical issues affet the project environment?

Answer 34

may be sources of conflict

Question 35

A project manager should take the importance of maintaining good relationships when considering what?

Answer 35

which resolution technique to use to solve a conflict
Other things to consider:
- intensity of the conflict
- time pressure for resolving it
- relative power of the people involved