Engineering Company: Team Problems

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Identification of the Conflict Scenario, the Problem(s) and Reasons for the Problem(s)

The team consists of a team leader and five employees. The team is working on a project for an Engineering Company. The team has been working well but towards the end of the project, efforts towards the work have been declining. Very little work is being done by the team members. Instead of working, the team members have put all their energy in spending time with each other.

It is evident that the completion of the project will be impossible considering the time left and the little effort from the team members. The project is only 3 weeks away from its deadline. Attempts to make the team members committed to the work have failed.

Options Available to Resolve the Conflict

There are several options available to resolve the conflict. One of the options is the use of interpersonal skills to resolve the conflict. The process of interpersonal communication is quite complicated although on the outside it looks very simple. It is a three-step process that requires the integration of these steps; the sender, the message, and the receiver. The steps can be further expanded into; (a) the sender develops the message using thoughts, (b) the sender uses words or data on the message, (c) the message is communicated verbally by the sender, (d) the receiver gets the message by hearing, (e) the receiver analyses the message in order to understand it, (f) the receiver uses the results of the analysis to respond to the sender’s message (Steckman 2005, p79). This is the process of approaching interpersonal conflict and it can be used to resolve the scenario conflict.

Another approach that can be used towards solving the conflict is to avoid mind-reading. Mind reading is based on the assumption that an individual understands what the other is thinking, feeling, or perceiving. The person acts as though he or she knows what is on the other person’s mind. The problem with mind reading is that the individuals often misinterpret each other (Wood 2009, p84). This is a common source of conflict within teams. The team member may have been mind-reading and that may explain why they were reluctant to do the project work.

Another option available is to define the roles of each team member. The problem may have arisen due to role conflict, that is, there are varied expectations from the team leader and the team members. A major source of this conflict comes from the sender, conflict between the role senders (Hartley 1999, p107). A good example in this scenario is when the team leader fails to define the roles of the team members. The members may end up assuming different roles other than the roles expected by the team leader.

The last approach that can be used is listening. Effective listening is a vital tool when resolving conflict. Conflict arises when people perceive that they have different goals which are incompatible. Many people fail to see the power in listening. Listening is perceived by many people as less powerful and less important (Collins and O’Rourke 2008, p3). The role the listener plays in interpersonal relationships is very important.

Approaches That Can Be Used to Resolve the Conflict

The scenario can be approached by all of the above-stated options. Each option is important in resolving the conflict because the source of the conflict is not well known. The interpersonal communication process comes in handy in that it gives the guidelines on how to approach the situation. Before any contact is made, the sender has to analyze the benefits of the decision he or she has to make. It is imperative for the team leader to use the approach mentioned in the interpersonal communication process. Some of the conflicts within the team may have stemmed from the wrong use of the interpersonal communication process. This may explain why most of the team members are reluctant to go on with the project. Giving it a try can help resolve the conflict.

The second approach is to avoid mind-reading. Mind reading is based on assumptions and can be very detrimental in interpersonal communication. The team leader should make it known to the team members that no one knows exactly what the other person is thinking. They should speak their mind and avoid assuming that the other person knows what they are thinking. Mind reading could have been a part of the source of conflict in this scenario. The best remedy for mind reading is to avoid its use.

The third approach is to define the roles of each team member. Conflicting roles can slow down any work progress. Without definite roles, the team members may end up assuming other roles that were not part of the agreement such as the inclusion of more leisure activities in their work. That is why even convincing them to participate in the project proved futile.

The last approach is effective listening. Listening is important in communication whether interpersonal or intrapersonal. The role it plays in effective communication is quite significant. If one party fails to listen to the other one, withdrawal and conflict may arise. Effective listening may have lacked in the team and that may explain why the attention towards the project decreased as the deadline approached. According to the members, the only best way was to spend time with the people who could listen to them.

Preventing Future Occurrence of the Same Problem

The situation can be avoided in the future by following simple basic rules. Before any formal contact is made between the team members and the team leader, the roles of each party should be clearly defined. The team leader and the members should play their roles effectively and whenever a conflict arises, the interpersonal communication process should be applied. Other things to take into consideration include becoming an effective listener and avoiding mind reading.

A brief précis to the CEO

The deadline for the project is near and so far little progress has been seen in the project. The slow progress has been attributed to the team members’ laxity towards the project. Management of the team was poor and that explains the unwillingness of the members to participate in the project.

A number of approaches have been suggested that may help in resolving the conflict. These approaches include; (a) proper use of the interpersonal communication process in resolving conflicts, (b) the leader and the team members should avoid mind reading, (c) the roles of each person in the team should be clearly stated and strictly followed, and (d) effective listening should be properly used in interpersonal communication. With these options, the team members can find better ways of dealing with the conflict that is facing them.

Future occurrences of such problems can be prevented by applying the approaches discussed above in the interpersonal communication process. Most of these conflicts can be solved but with the willingness of the members.

References

Collins, S. D. & O’Rourke, J. S. (2008) Interpersonal communication: Listening and responding. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Hartley, P. (1999) Interpersonal communication. London, UK: Routledge.

Steckman, W. E. (2005) Taming one-on-one conflict. West Conshohocken, PA: Infinity Publishing.com.

Wood, J. T. (2009) Interpersonal communication: Everyday encounters. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

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