Presents

An extract from the title

Leading Your Engineering Team to Top Performance

Website: www.idc-online.com E-mail: idc@idc-online.com

6 Conflict Resolution

6.1

Understanding Conflict
Conflict arises in organizations for a variety of reasons, and it is more likely to occur during times of change. Conflict occurs when mutually exclusive goals and/or mutually exclusive values exist. Conflict is inevitable, but the results can be constructive. Conflict Theories We will explore two conflict theories in order to gain insight into conflict resolution.

6.2

Root Cause Analysis

What is Root Cause Analysis? Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a structured step by step technique that focuses on finding the real cause of a problem and dealing with that. Rather than merely dealing with its symptoms. RCA is a procedure for ascertaining and analyzing the causes of problems in order to determine how these problems can be solved or be prevented from occurring. It is a process that helps to understand causes of a problem well enough that permanent resolution of those problems is achieved. The method brings a team of 3 to 6 knowledgeable people together to investigate the failure using evidence left behind from the fault. The team brainstorms to find as many causes of the fault as possible. By using what evidence remained after the fault, and discussions with people involved in the incident, all the non-contributing causes are removed and the contributing causes retained. A fault tree is constructed starting with the final failure and progressively traces each cause that led to the previous cause - this continues till the trail can be traced back no further. Each result of a cause must clearly flow from its predecessor. If it is clear that a step is missing between causes it is added in once evidence has been looked for to support its presence. Once the fault tree is completed and checked for logical flow the team then determines what changes are to be made to prevent the sequence of causes and consequences from again occurring. Preventing Reoccurrence of the Failure It is not necessary to prevent the first, or root cause, from happening. It is merely necessary to break the chain of events at any point so that the final failure cannot occur. Often the fault tree exposes an

104

Leading Your Engineering Team to Top Performance

initial design problem; in such a case redesign is necessary. Where the fault tree leads back to a failure of procedures it is necessary to either address the procedural weakness or to install a method to protect against the damage caused by the procedural failure. Figure 6.1 is a sample fault tree for the moral story of the kingdom lost because of a missing horseshoe nail. An RCA Example with Cause Tree The story is told that before an important battle a king sent his horse with a groomsman to the blacksmith for shoeing. But the blacksmith had used all the nails shoeing the knight's horses for battle and was one short. The groomsman tells the blacksmith to do as good a job as he can. But the blacksmith warns him that the missing nail may allow the shoe to come off. The king rides into battle not knowing of the missing horseshoe nail. In the midst of the battle he rides toward the enemy. As he approaches them the horseshoe comes off the horse's hoof causing it to stumble and the king falls to the ground. The enemy is quickly upon him and kills him. The king's troops see the death; give up the fight and retreat. The enemy surges onto the city and captures the kingdom. The kingdom is lost because of a missing horseshoe nail. The cause tree explains step-by-step how the events leading to the king's death unfolded. Notice that two separate event 'branches' had to occur together for the sequence to continue to the fateful end. If any of the causes could have been prevented then the kingdom would have been safe.

Figure 6.1 Fault Tree. Courtesy of Mike Sondalini - Equipment Longevity Engineer

6.3

Attribution Theory
What is the Attribution Theory? The Attribution Theory by Fritz Heider, is a method that can be used for evaluating how people perceive the behavior of themselves and of other people. Attribution theory is about how people make causal explanations. In his 1958 book "The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations", Heider says that all behaviors is considered to be determined by either internal or external factors:

External Attribution: causality is assigned to an outside factor, agent or force. Outside factors fall outside your control. You perceive you have no choice, so your behavior is influenced, limited or even completely determined by influences outside your control. Therefore you feel not responsible. A generic example is the weather. It is also referred to as Situational Attribution. Internal Attribution: causality is assigned to an inside factor, agent or force. Inside factors fall inside your own control and you can choose to behave in a particular way or not. So your

Conflict Resolution 105

behavior is not influenced, limited or even completely determined by influences outside your control. Therefore you feel responsible. A typical example is your own intelligence. It is also referred to as Dispositional Attribution. One of the most amazing features of human beings is that we believe we can explain anything. Research by psychologists has revealed that most people are biased in their judgment of whom or what is responsible for an event or an action:

We tend to attribute the successes of others and our own failures to external factors. We perceive these as not their own merit and not our own fault. We tend to attribute our own successes and failures of others to internal factors. We perceive these as our own merit and their own fault.

Other factors that are believed to be relevant to attribution are:

Do we like another person or not? If so, internal attributing is more likely in the case of success. Is there a reward or punishment attached to a behavior? If so, external attributing is more likely. Is the other person highly motivated to achieve or not? According to Weiner (1980), a high achiever will: Approach rather than avoid tasks related to succeeding. Because they believe success is due to high ability and effort of which they are confident. Failure is thought to be caused by bad luck or a poor exam, i.e. not their fault. Thus, failure doesn't hurt their self-esteem but success builds pride and confidence. Persist when the work gets hard rather than giving up. Because failure is assumed to be caused by a lack of effort, which can be changed by trying harder. Select challenges of moderate difficulty (50% success rate). Because the feedback from those tasks tells more about how well you are performing, rather than very difficult or very easy tasks which tell you little about your ability or effectiveness. Work with a lot of energy because the results are believed to be determined by how hard you try.

Achievement can be attributed to at least four things: 1. Effort. An internal and unstable factor over which we can exercise a great deal of control. 2. Ability. A relatively internal and stable factor over which we do not exercise much direct control. 3. Level of task difficulty. An external and stable factor that is largely beyond our control. 4. Luck. An external and unstable factor over which we exercise very little control. Steps in the Attribution Theory There is a three-stage process underlying attribution: 1. Perception. Observe. The person must perceive or observe the behavior. 2. Judgment. Determine deliberateness. The person must believe that the behavior was intentionally performed. 3. Attribute. The person must determine if he believes the other person was forced to perform the behavior (in which case the cause is attributed to the situation) or not (in which case the cause is attributed to the other person).

106

Leading Your Engineering Team to Top Performance

6.4

Handling Conflict
Some conflicts are merely minor irritations that we can quickly and easily forget. Others are more serious and can do lasting damage if we dont handle them carefully and skillfully. Good communication helps us avoid some conflicts. Other conflicts, though, are inevitable and we should resolve them effectively so that they do not cause lasting damage to relationships, or become counterproductive and costly to the organization. What is Conflict? We can define conflict as verbally and/or non-verbally expressed disagreement between individuals or groups. It may occur, for example, between two individuals - between supervisor and employee, or manager and supervisor. It can occur between an individual and a group, between groups in the same organization or between organizations. Conflict can even exist within an individual - for example, when one part of you wants to stay at home and rest while another part of you knows you should get up and go to work. Can Conflict Ever Be Useful? Conflict can lead to resentment, quarrels, clashes of will, power struggles, self-righteousness and the formation of camps (taking up strong stances) and either/or thinking. It can be disagreeable, disruptive, and stressful. This is the negative face of conflict, because conflict of this sort leads to anxiety, anger and frustration which can harm morale and productivity and weaken an organization. However, the absence of conflict is not necessarily good. Lack of conflict can indicate that a relationship is stagnating or that the parties are not sufficiently interested in it to resolve their differences. The fact that people argue means they have a stake in the issue and care about it and each other. In fact, a certain amount of conflict is healthy and can be productive if we handle it well. Conflict can move a relationship out of a rut and it can develop confidence in and even enhance a relationship; which can result in a better way of doing things. It can allow people to discover the best resolution to a situation and it can bring hidden feelings out into the open so they can be dealt with constructively. In fact, no conflict at all is often a more worrying sign than the presence of conflict. Conflict itself isnt the problem, but how we resolve and handle it can be. Guidelines for Confrontation and Conflict Handling If a dog doesnt like you, it looks at you and growls - not so with people. When we become irritated with anothers actions, we are not always willing to express our discontent. Instead, we tend to keep our feelings inside and avoid the person with whom there is a problem, in doing so the severity of the problem is compounded. Rather than waste energy escaping an unpleasant situation (and it takes a tremendous amount of energy to do so), todays managers must be able directly to confront the individual who is the source of a problem. They must learn a much-neglected skill that we call constructive confrontation. Fear of confrontation stems primarily from the lack of knowledge or skills in dealing with the confrontation. Lacking confrontation skills, we fear that our ignorance might result in the loss of a good employee or friend. In addition, we foresee the advent of possible retaliation or revenge. Causes of Conflict Many conflicts are due to poor communication. Barriers such as prejudice, selective hearing, and preconceived opinions, as well as such poor communication skills as lack of empathy inability to listen actively, poor summarizing skills and unassertiveness, have led to many unnecessary conflicts and caused others to escalate.

Conflict Resolution 107

Fear is another common cause of conflict. Fear of what we might lose including face can cause us to take an aggressive stance, lessening the likelihood that we will resolve the conflict in everyones interests and achieve a positive outcome. Differences in values underlie many conflicts. For example, if you value good timekeeping as a sign of responsibility and motivation, and an employees attitude is Whats a few minutes here or there? I get my job done, dont I? it doesnt take a genius to predict that the two of you will soon be in conflict over timekeeping. People often disagree over content matters, such as who said what, and over policies, plans and priorities. Disagreement over perceptions lies at the heart of many conflicts: for example who knows best, which has authority, whose job it is, and so on. Differences in goals, needs, expectations and clashes or personality can also cause conflicts. Competition for limited resources is another common starting point for conflict. Role pressures and emotional issues also play their part. How Conflict Grows Each conflict is different. Having said this, we can identify certain predictable phases, or stages of conflict, ranging from minor to major. These are shown in the figure on the next page. The first stage of conflict is discomfort. We feel uncomfortable about the situation or a person, although we may not be able to put our finger on why. We may not even be conscious that there is a problem, or, if we are, we are unsure of exactly what it is. If we dont address and sort out these feelings of discomfort, we may reach the next stage of conflict: an incident. Here, a short, sharp exchange may upset and irritate both parties. However, there is no lasting damage if we can resolve the conflict at this stage. The next level is where misunderstandings of a more serious nature occur. We often confuse, misperceive, or wrongly attribute motives and facts to the other party. Our thoughts may return often to the problem. If we do not deal with the conflict at this level, it is likely to move on to tension, where we feel uncomfortable whenever we think of the situation or whenever we see or think of the other party. The relationship between the parties becomes weighed down by negative attitudes and fixed opinions. This can lead easily to the final stage of an unresolved conflict, that of crisis. Normal functioning between the parties can be very difficult and extreme gestures are often made or contemplated. Often, a major scene occurs which can result in the disruption of the relationship for example, quitting your job in the heat of the moment or saying something you are certain to regret later.

108

Leading Your Engineering Team to Top Performance

Your response in a conflict situation will either hurt or help resolving the problem: Table 6.1 Conflict situations HURTING RESPONSES Avoiding it Personal attacks Getting angry Changing the subject Apologizing inappropriately Playing the martyr Pretending to agree Giving up and giving in Trying to turn the conflict into a joke A win-lose mind-set Either/Or thinking Unwillingness to explore options Lack of empathy Refusal to see the others point of view Being negative HELPING RESPONSES Trying to understand the others point of view Being willing to listen Keeping calm Knowing what you want Assertively stating your position and goals Isolating what you are disagreeing about Getting a referee Looking for mutual goals A win-win mind-set Respecting the other party Knowing your limits Willingness to resolve Agreeing on clear goals or outcomes Empathy Assertiveness Mutual respect Being positive

The Dangers of Unresolved Conflict You will notice that the stages of conflict in the figure are shown against a curved line. Think of this line as a hillside and think of the conflict as a ball. As it moves down the hill, it gains momentum and becomes more and more difficult to stop. Like the ball, conflict gains momentum and becomes more difficult to deal with as it progresses through the stages. This is why it is important to recognise and address conflict early on, when you become aware of it. Delay only makes it difficult. Your Personal Conflict Management Style Consider situations in which you find your wishes differing from those of another person. How do you usually respond to such situations?

Conflict Resolution 109

Your attitude towards the other person plays an important role in resolving conflict: Table 6.2 Resolving Conflict Win-Lose Me against you. Were on opposite sides. I want total victory. This is how it is. I want a quick fix. My goals are more important. Win-Win Were in this together. Were on the same side. Lets see if we can both be satisfied. Here is my point of view, what is yours? We both need to be satisfied in the long-term. Lets see if we can meet your goals, too. What are our common goals? Lets deal with this objectively. Lets deal with this. Lets solve our problem. How can we resolve this? Lose-Win You against me. Were on opposite sides. You are the victor. Well do it your way. I want a quick fix. Your goals are most important.

Ill attack you personally if I have to. This is a fight. I must win this battle. My way or the highway.

Lets not argue. Lets not fight. You win this one. Your way is the way well go.

Addressing Team Conflict The following steps are useful when addressing team conflict: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Define the problem Gather data Analyse the data Choose the best solution Implement the solution and continue to refine it

1. Define the Problem Einstein said you cannot solve a problem until you define it. Defining a problem is frequently the hardest part of the solution, and most of us jump into solving the problem rather than defining the problem; and this definition of the problem always contains the seeds of the solution. The first step is to go through the process of defining the problem together. Problem definition may change or become refined during data-gathering, and may be further refined during the problemsolving process itself.

The best way to work on a problem statement is to write it down multiple times in different ways and from different perspectives. This is extremely beneficial as it allows for different
perspectives. A key to success during team interactions is to establish the ground rules or rules of engagement or ROE. ROE may include statements about professional conduct, taking turns, not interrupting and so on. Some examples include:

110

Leading Your Engineering Team to Top Performance

The project team is missing assignments Team meetings are non-productive Some team members are not doing their jobs People are late for meetings Team leadership is not strong enough The team is not working together effectively

When we allow ourselves to look at the problem from different perspectives and through different statements, we can begin to agree on which statement reflects the real problem. Some of the statements may only describe a part of the problem, however each of the statements helps to break down the problem into manageable parts. 2. Gather Data The second step to addressing team conflict is to gather data on what is actually occurring. This means collecting facts that can be substantiated, not hearsay or opinions. The intent is to gather facts that are actual, observable, and measurable. It also means observing first-hand during meetings, teleconferencing, or video conferencing. We need to know about individual performances, whos meeting deadlines and goals, who takes on extra work or goes that extra mile, whos inside or outside of the group, who lunches together, and who are the informal leaders. This is the managers duty and requires discretion. Data gathering means gathering facts that can be substantiated and proven. Hearsay and opinions are sometimes irrelevant and even dangerous. During data gathering, symptoms or causes of conflict may be uncovered. In turn, these may require refining or re-defining problem statements. Having to refine or change a problem statement is not a negative. It means that our understanding of the situation has increased, and this new knowledge may require adjustment which is acceptable. Another part of data gathering is to review what you, as manager, have been doing. How do you communicate with your team? How do they communicate with each other? Are team members clear on roles and responsibilities? Have you been providing regular performance feedback to them? Have you been visible, available, and supportive? Do you know your team members? Do you have a good understanding of individual job roles, skills, experience and what motivates each team member? This is difficult to look at, but crucial in understanding whats wrong and how to fix it. Managers need to be confident and objective enough to look at themselves as part of the problem and as part of the solution. 3. Analyse Data and Diagnose Before the data is analysed, it is important to make sure that everything that has been gathered so far makes sense. Make sure that there are observable and verifiable facts and that there is clarity about symptoms and potential causes. It is also very important to separate management and employee causes and issues. If these are solid we are ready to analyse. Analysing the data means we can diagnose what is going on with the team itself, and determine the role the manager is playing. The following list will assist in stimulating thought when diagnosing team dynamics and performance:

Conflict Resolution 111

Poor or no communication: What kind of communication is occurring? Is it effective or non-productive? Have I established a style and/or methodology for communications to ensure that everyone on the team is updated on a regular basis? Do I have a communications plan? Do I model good communications when I work with the team or with individuals, (i.e., do I listen and communicate effectively)? Do I, or my team, need help with communications? What kind of help?

Lack of problem solving skills, or getting to the root cause: How do we approach problems and issues? Do we approach them in a logical way? Do we capture data as we problem-solve or is it a haphazard, uncoordinated session that does not resolve issues and does not seek input from all team members? Do we need to change how we try to solve problems? Do we really address the root cause or do we deal with symptoms?

Lack of clarity in purpose, goals, objectives, team and individual roles: Do all team members understand their individual roles and the roles of each team member? Does each member of the team understand his or her roles and goals (what they were hired to do and tasked to accomplish)? Do team members understand how individual roles and goals support group goals? Do they understand how the group goals roll up to support the larger groups goals and all the way up to support corporate group goals?

Uncertainty about or lack of resources and sources for help and support: Do team members each understand their strengths and what they contribute to the team? Are they clear about where to go for help and support, which involves clarifying team roles regarding special skills and helping each other? Are they committed to helping each other within the scope of their responsibilities, (i.e. NOT actually doing the work of the other person but providing assistance or guidance)? Do team members rely on me as the manager to ensure they have the resources they need to meet individual and team goals?

Poor Time Management: Are team members usually able to meet goals and deadlines? Do they have time management skills or are they always late or always behind? Are they clear about what kind of time management is expected? What kind of mentoring or guidance do I as a manager provide to individuals to ensure they meet goals? What could help them to improve their time management skills?

Lack of Leadership and management: As a manager, have I been clear regarding my expectations of individuals and the team? Do I give feedback regularly that helps them to understand how theyre meeting my expectations? Do I provide corrective guidance when its necessary? Do I support them in public and remonstrate in private?

112

Leading Your Engineering Team to Top Performance

Do I model the kind of behaviour I expect from my team?

Team members bored, not challenged, not really interested: Does each team member have a career plan? Can I detect a lack of interest or commitment? Where is boredom or lack of interest or commitment coming from? Am I, as manager, sufficiently aware of individual career plans and performance to determine if an individual needs a change, a challenge, or corrective action? Do I delegate effectively? How am I motivating my team?

Lack of skills and abilities of team members to meet goals: Are team members matched well in their roles? Do they have skills and abilities to perform their assigned tasks? Do they need special training and how is this in line with career goals? What kind of guidance can I, as manager, provide? Personality conflicts: Are team members able to work effectively with each other? Are there any team members who just cannot get along? Do I treat all team members fairly regardless of my own personal feelings about each? Have we, as a team, developed a conflict resolution process or strategy that can be understood and used effectively?

Personal problems: Are personal problems interfering with job performance theirs or mine? Am I aware of personal problems of individuals? Am I encouraging individuals to go to Human Resources (HR) or to find the help and support they need, (i.e. Im not trying to solve problems outside of my expertise)? How am I working with these individuals to get their work done through flexible schedules, reduced workloads, assistance from others, allowing delays, other approaches, or some combination? Am I, as a manager, working with HR to be fair to the individual, to the company, and to my group?

Turnover: What is my turnover rate? What are the causes of turnover? What is the impact of team conflict in causing people to leave? Are the causes of turnover beyond my control (i.e. economic factors, competition, environment, etc.)? Are the causes within my control, i.e., some of the above factors? If some of the above factors are observable in my group, how will I proceed?

Organizational changes: What are the organizational changes that have an impact on potential conflict? Are the changes being communicated effectively? What are the impacts that face team members?

Conflict Resolution 113

Is HR providing the correct procedures/information to team members? What am I doing to provide encouragement to team members?

As we perform our diagnosis, we develop a more precise understanding of team dynamics. Instead of just saying we have poor communications, we can focus on details. As we analyse each area, we can see two things: Further problem definition, and the beginnings of our solution plan. 4. Choose the Best Solution As we gather and analyse our data, we have begun to separate it into discrete areas such as communications, turnover, etc. We are getting down to root causes versus symptoms and we are defining what is wrong or not working. With answers to questions in each area, we can focus in on distinct areas of the problem. We can work on solutions and then choose the best solution, or solutions, to implement. We will not have major issues in all areas. How is the best solution selected? Look at each of the areas again plus issues that you have thought of. Consider what you have observed. If necessary, go out and observe some more. Write down your notes on observable behaviors. Reflect on them. Consider impact of individual behaviors on team members, on how team members talk and work together, and how they interact with each other in meetings. Results will help you to determine which ones are the best solutions for your teams particular problems. 5. Implement the Solution and Continue to refine it Through the work weve already done, we have the seeds of our get-well plan. After we analyse the data and develop solutions. We select the best solution for the problem areas and begin to construct a plan. This plan will include actions to address each problem area, and will include a schedule for implementation with measurements. Work on one or two areas versus trying to fix everything at once. As we develop our plan and/or begin implementation we may need help. We need to talk with superiors whom we trust with the appropriate skills and we need to keep our minds open to find the best solution and plan for our team. The process for this is part of the solution. Thinking and considering in an ordered and systematic process is crucial to defining and solving the problem. Working together to define and correct causes of conflict is the best solution to resolve team conflict. There are tools and aids to help teams deal with conflict effectively. In defining the problem, gathering data, analysing that data, and selecting and implementing the best solution, weve begun to develop a list of tools and skills to resolve conflict. Other tools and skills that will assist are as follows: Clearly articulate thoughts and ideas Active listening Paraphrasing Clarify and question effectively Give effective feedback Think and analyse in a methodical and systematic way Set clear, reasonable, achievable objectives Identify risks and assumptions Build contingencies to counter risks and assumptions Stick to facts and issues, not personalities or personal issues Take turns Develop the ability to work effectively as a team member Cross training Use of ground rules where helpful or necessary Delegating and mentoring for senior employees

114

Leading Your Engineering Team to Top Performance

Time Management Conflict resolution

In order to help team members develop these skills and tools, we have to model the desired behaviour. Tools to Help Teams Deal with Conflict Quickly and Effectively These tools may be helpful and also used as part of the ROE: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Attack the problem, not the person Focus on what can be done, not what cannot be done Encourage different points of view and honest dialogue Express feelings in a way that does not blame Accept ownership appropriately for all or part of the problem Listen and understand the other persons point of view before giving your own Show respect for the other persons point of view Solve the problem while building the relationship

When conflict arises during a team meeting, it is important to address it as soon as possible. If the conflict has nothing to do with the topic at hand, defer it to a later time. If conflict gets extremely overheated, take a break and let everyone cool off.