Conflict & Negotiation

Question 1

Define conflict.

Answer 1

Conflict exists where opinions or objectives differ. If unchecked, this can lead to negative outcomes (falling out, strike, court case) as well as positive ones (innovation of product design, optimising project scheduling).

Question 2

Give examples of conflict occurring at each phase of a project

Answer 2

Concept

• Business justification (cost, risk, benefits)
• Roles (who should be the PM and team members)
• Requirements of the project (different functionality, priorities etc)

Definition

• Schedules and estimates
• Scope
• Risk

Deployment

• Supplier contract terms
• Progress completion with suppliers
• Change requests

Transition

• Acceptance of deliverables
• Snagging / follow-on actions

Question 3

Which dimensions can be used to assess an individuals behaviour in conflict?

Answer 3

Assertiveness - satisfying their own concerns

Cooperativeness - attempts to satisfy the other persons concerns

Question 4

What are the 5 modes for responding to conflict?

Answer 4

Competing - try to win everything and hold ground.

Collaboration - digging into an issue to identifying underlying concerns, finding a win win solution.

Avoidance - sidestepping

Accommodate - yielding, obeying an order when you don’t want to.

Compromise - falls between collaboration and avoidance, can be quicker than collaboration, but misses core issue (neither party feel like they have what they want)