Conflict resolution can be a complicated affair if handled improperly. Conflicts, if gone uncorrected, can adversely impact a perfectly capable team by recycling the team to an earlier state of productivity. The keys to conflict resolution are simple and effective but will take practice and challenge your leadership abilities. Utilizing proper conflict resolution strategies at the beginning of every team exercise, will provide your team with clear direction, and will enhance the likelihood of team success.
The following in-site on Conflict Resolution will be broken down into five categories. They will be discussed in the order of: Sources of Conflict, Types of Conflicts, Legitimate Power, Tuckman's Theory and Dealing with Conflict.
To identify the sources of conflict; we must be clear on what conflict is. "Conflict is any situation in which there are incompatible goals, cognitions, or emotions within or between individuals or groups that lead to opposition or antagonistic interaction." (University of Phoenix (2003) Conflict: Sources and Solutions, Page 2). In the above statement, you can see that the sources of conflict vary from professional to personal. What one person in the team desires, the other team members may not have the slightest concern. In regard to learning teams within the University of Phoenix online campus, I would tend to believe that cognition would be the major source of conflict. In the online learning environment, you are solely dependant on writing and reading; therefore, there are no facial expressions or vocal inflections that depict the actual meaning, which leaves you with perception to reach a conclusion. During my initial brainstorming activity, I thought goals or interests might be a problem, but after spendin ...