Project Management Significance: Team Conflict Resolution Recovery Plan (Research Paper Sample)

Team Conflict Resolution Recovery Plan
Name
Institution
Team Conflict Resolution Recovery Plan
Introduction
Project management is integral to any organization. As a project manager, one has to apply their skills and knowledge for the successful execution of a project. The general objective of project management is delivering a project within the set budget; meeting the project expectations and delivering on time. Some key skills a project manager should possess are leadership, management, and conflict resolution. The latter skill is perhaps one of the most challenging. It is important to note that for the successful execution of a project, the project manager ought to work with a team and in such a setting, conflict is inevitable.
The potential of conflict arising is high because team members come from different socio-economic backgrounds. Some of the major causes of team conflicts are personality, resources, members’ expectations, attitudes and expectations (Williams, 2008, p. 365). The impact of such patterns not only affects team members on an individual level but may have a negative impact on the outcome of a project. As such, the project manager needs to possess the skills necessary for conflict resolution. How conflict is resolved determines the success level of a project.
With this in mind, this paper explores the different dynamics of conflict resolution by studying a Troubled Health System Case Study. The Healthcare system in question is Healthcare Unlimited, LLC. Having been awarded the position of a Project Manager for the Medical IS Project, the student is expected to see the successful execution of the project. Unfortunately, the project has had some minor setbacks due to rising conflicts among employees, more importantly, the Architect and Database Administrator representative. As a mediation plan, the student will prepare a conflict resolution recovery plan with three sections namely conflict resolution leadership, team dynamics and motivation and confidence.
Team Dynamics
The success of the Medical IS Project is important in helping Healthcare Unlimited LLC cement its position in the market against competitors. Therefore, a team of members excelling in different fields is put together. During the orientation process, the new project manager learns that the first project manager stepped down for personal reasons. However, the new project manager has the help of well able team members who include:
* An architect
* Database Administrators’ representative
* Operations representative
* Marketing representative.
Each member of the team has strengths and weaknesses as noted by the Project Sponsor. The architect has technical skills; the database administrators’ representative possesses political connections but has no credibility among team members. The operations representative, on the other hand, commands respect from other workers in the organization. Her ambitions and ability to lead is an advantage in terms of rallying the team together. Unfortunately, since she is dividing her time between two positions, her time is limited. Finally, the marketing representative pays keen attention to details and has impeccable problem-solving skills (Healthcare Unlimited, LLC, 2015).
While each team member’s skills level is remarkable, the conflict between the Architecture and Database Administrator’s representative has affected the effectiveness of the team. The level of conflict is clear when the Project Manager meets with the team and witnesses firsthand the two professionals getting into an argument. The marketing representative tries diverting attention away from the argument; however, it is clear that the conflict between the two is more complex. With the team dynamic already in place, the next stage is to come up with a conflict resolution plan. However, to develop a proper plan, it is important to determine what stage of the five-stage team development model the team belongs to.
Five-Stage Team Development Model
The concept of teamwork has been a standard in the business industry. Organizations rely on teams to boost performance and increase employee accountability. However, the success of working in a team is not standard- some teams are more successful. To understand why some teams outperform others, psychologist Bruce Tuckman introduced the five-stage development model (Chester, 2013, p. 138). These five stages are processes that teams go through to become successful. They include forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning as illustrated in the diagram below.
1 Forming stage
The forming stage is the initial stage of team development and entails getting acquainted with each other (Bonebright, 2010, p. 113). Members at this level are overly polite and reserved. Due to the high levels of uncertainty about the project, leadership is crucial. This is the stage where roles are defined, but more importantly, this stage is more people-oriented than work-oriented. Therefore, significant results are not expected at this level.
2 Storming stage
The storming stage is the most critical stage. Team members form opinions about their teammates at this level. The storming stage is likely to be marred by conflict as personalities clash. This level is characterized by unproductivity and low performance. At this stage, the leader should be more of a coach and provide proper guidance. The Project Manager should encourage members to embrace their differences and use these differences to better the team.
3 Norming stage
During this stage, members settle in their roles and are more appreciative of their teammates. Unity is realized and members fall into a routine. As a result, performance is likely to increase. However, caution is advised. If members are not careful, disagreements may arise.
4 Performing Stage
Teams that are in this stage have overcome a lot of hurdles and are more motivated and comfortable with each other. All members are working with a common goal which is to see the successful completion of the project.
5 Adjourning Stage
As the last stage in this process, the adjourning stage marks the end of a project. The team is disbanded and members are assigned to other tasks. The team members may experience a sense of loss due to the close relationships they have formed with their teammates.
After an analysis of the stages in this model, it is evident that the Medical IS Project team is in the storming stage. Unfortunately, members are in constant conflict with each other which is characterized by the conflict between the Architect and Database Administrators’ representative. From the meeting with the team, the project manager noticed that they are condescending to each other. The Database Administrators’ representative is late for the meeting and when he arrives, the architect makes a point to point out that he was late. The Database Administrators’ representative is defensive. One characteristic of the storming stage is lack of productivity and tangible results. From the management complaint and Project Sponsor’s report, it is notable that these conflicts have set the project back.
One of the skills that seem to be lacking in this group is communication. Communication is key to solving conflict and resolving any misunderstandings. This skill is also important in airing unexpressed feelings. In this instance, the Architect and Database Administrators’ representative have trouble communicating. Their interaction is hostile and they are either attacking each other or being defensive. Another clear sign of lack of communication is when the Database Administrators’ representative arrives late and states that his lateness was as a result of back-to-back meetings. Had communication been present, this would have been avoided.
Organization and planning skills are also lacking. Without these skills, it is difficult to make things happen. Good planning and organizing skills can be relied on to put a strong system in place. For example, meetings should be held when every member is free to attend. Members of this team are not fully dedicated to the project but are assigned other roles. Like in the case of the operations representative, she divides her time between her current department and the project. This is a clear sign of poor planning.
Lastly, the team is lacking in decision-making skills. The project has been on a standstill for a while. The fact that no steps have been taken forward proves that no decisions have been made this far. Sometimes, making a decision is better than making none at all. No member has proven to be a decision-maker. In fact, the previous manager had complained about the lack of decision making as a result of the constant argument between the Architect and Database Administrators’ representative. The competitive nature between these two individuals has more than likely hindered the decision-making process.
For the successful completion of the project, training is needed. Therefore, the training the Project Manager would recommend is conflict management training. This training is especially important for the Architect and Database Administrators’ representative. The conflict management training teaches members how to resolve conflicts. The second form of training is team building. Team building forces the teammates to work together and have an in-depth knowledge of each other (Mindtools content team, n.d.). Moreover, they learn to communicate and constructively air their disagreements. At the end of conflict management training, members sh...