Conflict Resolution and Project Management. IT Project and Change Management. Pamela Jackson

Transcription

1 Conflict Resolution and Project Management 1 Conflict Resolution and Project Management IT Project and Change Management Pamela Jackson

2 Conflict Resolution and Project Management 2 Conflict Resolution and Project Management Managing a project requires careful balancing of tradeoffs. Projects that have benefits to more than one area of the organization present an added tension of variations between the expressed goals of each individual area that have a stake in the project and the project goal itself. This results in conflict during the project life cycle. Conflict can often be a healthy source of motivation that leads to innovation and positive outcomes. In other cases, it can be the agent that destroys the success of the project. Managing this conflict requires the identification of the differences between project expectations and goals or the gap between the tradeoffs that cause a hindering variance. It is important to seek the root cause of the conflict and resolve it at that level. The root cause often lies in a poorly designed project plan, process, or organization. Resolving conflicts that are identified within the various phases of the project life cycle is an important part of conflict resolution. (Project Connections, 2006) There are five modes for conflict resolution, which are confronting, compromising, smoothing, forcing, and avoiding. Confronting is likened unto collaborating or a win/win style of conflict resolution. It involves face to face collaboration between the parties involved in the conflict and encourages open and direct communication, which is intended to progress toward resolving the issues. Compromising is like a give and take style of conflict resolution in which the parties bargain to reach a solution. Each side may have to give up something in one area, while receiving value in other areas to attain a satisfying outcome. Smoothing is an accommodating or obliging style of conflict resolution. This approach downplays the negative aspects of the

3 Conflict Resolution and Project Management 3 conflict and focuses on the areas of agreement. Often, one party may give up more or make a sacrifice so that the other party can be satisfied. Forcing is a competitive or controlling type style of conflict resolution. It is a dominating style used in situations where the stakes are high or a quick decision needs to be made, in which one party ignores the needs or concerns of other parties and persistently pursues its position. Avoiding is a withdrawn style of conflict resolution used to postpone an issue or decline activity in dealing with the conflict all together. This is used commonly in situations where it is apparent that a win can not be achieved or when the stakes are very low and of minimal importance. (Ohlendorf, Amy, 2001) Project Managers must have technical skills, conceptual skills, and human skill to be successful at performing their job. Riza Yosia Sunindijo and Bonaventura H. W. Hadikusumo wrote a study of another attribute they identified as being necessary, which Emotional Intelligence. Regarding the knowledge of the individual, their Intellectual Quotient, or IQ, would be equivalent in the emotional sense, as the Emotional Intelligence (EI). EI regards social competence such as social awareness and relationship management, as well as personal competence such as self awareness and self management. The study revealed that leaders with a higher EI performed better on the job compared to the ones with lower EI. They also found that IQ is second to EI when determining successful job performance. Project managers that have a high EI have greater success at regulating anxiety and anger and restraining emotional impulses. They have greater self control, maintain high standards of honesty and integrity, take responsibility for personal performance, and remain flexible in handling change. The researchers

4 Conflict Resolution and Project Management 4 state that, A person with this ability can read nonverbal cues for emotional currents from others which are critical for job performance when the focus is on interactions with people. A project manager is tasked with motivating the team to attain the organizational goals. They communicate the vision to the team and help them understand the goals. They use the art of stimulation, coaching, and reward. The study also discusses the use of the five conflict resolution styles, indicating that project mangers with a higher EI were prone to avoid conflict and compromise the conflict resolution process, while those with a lower EI tend to use the dominating approach. Conclusion Causes for conflict are applicable across the entire project cycle. Conflict can arise in schedules through disagreements about task durations and sequencing. They can arise based on project priorities stemming from the requirement to learn new skills to do work that have never been done before or underestimating the need for continual project communication. Manpower is an area where conflict can arise where people are spread across several projects or have conflicting commitments. Conflict surrounding technical issues can surface due to budget restraints, cost estimates and payment/funding schedules that designed inadequately in the view of others, compared to the view of the project manager or vice versa. Project management and administration can become a conflict in and of itself in organizations that do not have a strong project management processes. The most widely discussed conflict is personality conflicts, while conflict with costs is the most intertwined element attributing to conflict because it is usually combined with some other issue, increasing its complexity. (Thamhalm, Hans J. & Wilemon, David L., 1977)

5 Conflict Resolution and Project Management 5 As a project manager, having the ability and knowledge to handle conflict while managing a project will lead, not only to success but will be beneficial in reducing stress along the path of the project life cycle.

6 Conflict Resolution and Project Management 6 References Ohlendorf, Amy (2001). Conflict resolution in project management. Retrieved September 5, 2006 from Ohlendorf.htm Project Connections (2006). Conflict and issue management. Retrieved September 5, 2006 from issue_mgmt. html Thamhalm, Hans J. & Wilemon, David L. (1977). Leadership, conflict, and program management effectiveness. Sloan Management Review. Vol. 19, 1, p. 75. Retrieved September 5, 2006 from 64&did= &SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD &RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS= &clientId=9003