Dealing with conflict in projects

We hear that most people will avoid conflict, probably not unlike other self-inflicted pain. However, unlike masochism, conflict is the source for opportunity.

Why to deal with it
Conflicts can arise when two parties address a task or problem with a different perspective or “frame of reference.” Imagine a pot of gold on the table and two parties unable to make an equitable case to divide the booty. Avoiding conflict is an overly polite way of leaving a problem unaddressed and money on the table. The elephant remains in the room causing discomfort to everyone. The energy used to skirt around the issue creates inefficiencies for all and ignores the opportunity waiting to be discovered. Often there are inequities in the way each party looks at the issue, considering different opinions on the priorities, effort, risk, and reward. Understanding the conflict allows a decision maker to be aware of the complexities of a problem. Solving the problem allows the parties to divvy up and claim the pot of gold. There is no doubt that managing conflict takes effort and creativity, but the rewards can be worth it. Project conflict can be found within clients and colleagues alike. If the source of conflict is left alone, the issue can become a cancer that infects project performance and personalities. Dealing with conflict can be rewarding when resulting in a resolution.


How to deal with it
Dr. Terry Young provided the Denver audience of the Project Management Institute a few tools in managing project conflicts. Among the tools, he showed us examples of how “reframing” an issue can overcome conflict to discover and settle a resolution.
Quoting Bernie Mayer, he explains that framing is the context of a proposal or the way a conflict is described. Reframing the conflict would be to change the context.

Two examples of how a controversy can be reframed follow:
>Expand the issues. This can shift the focus to a bigger picture.
>Change the metaphor. The adversary could be more receptive to a different metaphor.


Terry Young is a mediator and provides mediation training.
Forever Young and Associates offers conflict management services, including mediation, arbitration, facilitation, and mediation consulting (med-consult) to resolve disputes and improve business relationships.