Conflict on a project is almost always a certainty. A project manager who goes says they never have conflict to deal with on their projects just isn’t paying close enough attention to what’s going on. Or they’re in denial. Conflict is going to happen and it’s the PMs responsibility to help team members and customers control and resolve these conflicts. It must happen…the conflict must be dealt with…in order for success to be realized on the project.
In his book “Project Management Nation,” Jason Charvat discusses controlling conflict on the project in his chapter on Project Change Control.
Controlling Conflict on the Project
On almost every project, the potential for conflict arises at some point. This is a natural trend. The project manager should work proactively with all staff to avoid possible conflicts that may arise. In the event of a conflict, the project manager should be aware that talking can only resolve so much. For situations where conflict cannot be resolved through negotiations or arbitration, it is recommended that the identified individuals be separated or be removed from the project.
It is important to understand that project staff react differently to daily situations and that during the project life cycle, these members all experience various emotions such as joy, sadness, jealousy, anger, frustration, and stress—to name but a few. Many conflicts can be reduced or eliminated by constantly communicating the project objectives to the project team members. Some of the most common conflicts are:
- Conflict over project priorities
- Conflict over administrative procedures
- Personality conflicts
- Lack of respect for one another
- Conflict over technical opinions and performance
- Conflict over staffing resources
- Conflict over cost
- Conflict over schedules
When conflicts do arise, there are several methods to try to resolve them;
- Compromise. Parties consent to agree; each side wins or loses a few points.
- Confrontation. Parties work together to find a solution to the problem.
- Forcing. Power is used to direct the solution. One side gets what the other does not.
- Smoothing. This technique plays down the differences between two groups and gives strong attention to the points of agreement.
- Withdrawal. This technique involves one party removing him- or herself from the conflict.