Marquette University Athletics
Leadership Thoughts - Volume I, Issue V
4/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Coach To Coach
April 7, 2011
Tension In Teams (PDF) | by Jim Kling
Conflict within teams is inevitable. And that's a good thing, because conflict is essential to the creative collaboration that is a team's raison d' tre.
Without differences of opinion, there can be no debate over important issues or a creative synthesis of ideas. So how can you, as a team leader, manage conflict to get the best out of your team?
This article offers several suggestions: (1) Set up ground rules, in advance, for handling conflict; (2) Build cohesion and trust by providing opportunities for team members to get to know one another on a personal level; (3) When conflict arises, focus on the facts and make sure those involved fully understand each other's point of view; (4) Model the behavior you'd like others on your team to exhibit in the face of conflict; and (5) Intercede if the conflict between team members becomes personal. Your ultimate goal is self-governance: once team members learn how to handle conflicts on their own, those same conflicts will contribute to the team's success.
