Collaboration Explained: Facilitation Skills for Software Project Leaders

Chapter 18. Managing Conflict

Shepherding a team from divergence through that nasty Groan Zone into convergence requires the work of a highly collaborative leader, adept at engaging constructive conflict among team members. Leaders intimidated by conflict very often press their teams to avoid it. They may encourage members to compromise or even abandon their expert opinions. These leaders would rather accept a potentially ill-defined, uninformed solution for the sake of “keeping the peace.” Or, they may be motivated by time pressures to quell conflicts in order to keep moving through the meeting agenda. Finally, leaders may use signs of conflict within the team as an excuse to usurp the team’s collective power and take over any subsequent decisions ...