What is conflict management?

Conflict management involves taking proactive measures before conflicts lead to negative consequences, by applying one or more resolution strategies to address issues that could potentially impact team performance or cohesion.

Conflict does not always result in negative outcomes; when properly managed, differences in opinion can foster greater creativity and support better decision making. Successful conflict management enhances team productivity and helps maintain a positive working environment. Conversely, poor conflict management may lead to disruptive, hostile behaviors and reduced team performance - all of which threaten the project’s ability to deliver its objectives.

Sources of Conflict

Conflict occurs in most teams and work environments. According to PMI, common sources of conflict include:

• Competition for resources
• Differences in goals, values, and perceptions
• Disagreements over roles, responsibilities, and approaches
• Communication breakdowns

The following describes seven common sources of conflict in order of frequency (note that personality is last according to Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep, tenth edition)

i. Schedules (unrealistic, resources not available)
ii. Project priorities
iii. Resources
iv. Technical opinions
v. Administrative procedures
vi. Cost
vii. Personality

Sources of Conflict

However, according to Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling 12th Edition by Harold, the order of the 6th and 7th conflict sources has changed (as shown above). Because "Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling" is one of the 10 PMP exam preparation materials recommended by PMI , the following order will be used within the scope of the PMP exam:
i. Schedules (unrealistic, resources not available)
ii. Project priorities
iii. Resources
iv. Technical opinions
v. Administrative procedures
vi. Personality
vii. Cost

Conflict management techniques

A project manager’s success is often contingent upon their ability to effectively identify and resolve conflicts. Different project managers may apply different conflict management techniques. Several factors influence the selection of a conflict resolution approach, including:

• The significance and intensity of the conflict
• The urgency to resolve the conflict
• The authority of the individuals involved
• The importance of maintaining the relationship
• Whether the resolution is intended to be short-term or long-term

Ideally, conflicts should be resolved by the parties directly involved. The project manager should attempt to facilitate conflict resolution, provided they have the authority over the matters in dispute. Otherwise, the project sponsor or relevant functional managers may need to intervene in issues that fall outside the project manager’s authority.

According to the PMBOK® Guide – 6th Edition, there are five conflict resolution techniques, each of which may be appropriate depending on the specific situation:

 

Among all the methods, the most recommended approach is Collaborating (problem-solving) as it helps achieve a win-win situation.

Levels of conflict

Conflict resolution expert Speed B. Leas created the following framework for project managers to judge the seriousness of a conflict and better understand how conflicts may escalate.

 
If the conflict is at Levels 1 through 3, do not take any immediate action to resolve it. Instead, first give the team a chance to fix it themselves. If the situation doesn't improve and instead seems to be escalating, the following guidelines can be useful in resolving the conflict: 

• Level 1 (Problem to Solve): Try constructing a collaborative scenario to illustrate the competing issues and use that scenario to help build consensus around a decision that everyone can support.
• Level 2 (Disagreement): Conflict resolution typically involves empowering the relevant team members to solve the problem. This approach builds the team members' support for the decision and restores a sense of safety to the group.
• Level 3 (Contest): The conflict has become accusatory. To help fix the issue, we need to accommodate people's differing views. Although this may involve compromising on the work to be done, we should not compromise the team's values.
• Level 4 (Crusade): Resolving this level of conflict requires diplomacy. Since the communications between opposing sides have largely broken down, the team may need a facilitator to convey messages between the different parties. Our focus should be on de-escalating the conflict to take it down a level or two.
• Level 5 (World War): Conflict at this level may be unresolvable. Instead of trying to fix it, we may need to figure out how we can give people ways to live with it. At this level we might separate the opposing individuals to prevent further harm to each other.

Summary

Conflict is an inherent aspect of project environments. When managed effectively, conflict can lead to positive outcomes such as clarifying important issues, improving communication among team members and stakeholders, fostering collaboration, and strengthening team cohesion. However, conflict can also become detrimental if it lowers team morale, triggers unprofessional behaviors, or distracts the team from focusing on critical project tasks.

The key to effective conflict management lies in selecting and applying the most appropriate strategy based on the situation. Conflicts should ideally be resolved by the individuals directly involved. The project manager should prioritize the collaborating/problem-solving technique whenever possible, as it encourages creative resolution, mutual respect, and the maintenance of strong working relationships.

Author: Nguyen Thi Ngan, PMP®, PMI-ACP®