Team Conflict: The Seeds of Dissent

Overview/Description
 Teams are a fact of corporate life. Think about all the team buzzwords. There are cross-functional teams, self-directed teams, union teams, functional teams, total quality teams, and project teams--not to mention the concept of "The Dream Team." If there's anything that's predictable about these high-powered teams, it's the inevitability of conflict. Many teams fail to recognize that there's power in conflict. Healthy dissent actually breeds team success, and that's the essence of this course. What do you need to know about the roots of conflict and team dynamics to help cultivate a healthy mindset about conflict? At the end of this course, you'll have the skills needed to identify the stages of conflict, the awareness of group dynamics that can cripple team effectiveness, and how to build a positive approach to conflict at the time your team is launched.

Target Audience
 Anyone working on project teams

Expected Duration
3.5 hours

Lesson Objectives:

Teams: The Core of Today's Organizations

  • recognize the value of teams in today's organizations.
  • specify why teams are a vital factor for organizations.
  • specify why teams may fail in a given situation.
  • identify how conflict can be a positive team element.

    • Stages of Conflict

  • recognize the importance of comprehending the stages of conflict.
  • choose the events that may trigger conflict.
  • identify the behaviors of evading conflict.
  • locate assumptions given a scenario.

    • Group Dynamics

  • recognize the value in identifying unhealthy team behaviors.
  • specify the steps to move from "I" to "we."
  • choose the characteristics of a damaging agreement.
  • identify how to move the organization away from "bully" leadership.

    • The Four P's of a Successful Launch

  • recognize the value of using the four P's in your team.
  • sequence the steps to knowing your team role.
  • match the problem-solving step with the appropriate example.
  • identify the ways you can practice your patience.
  • match the positive attribute with the appropriate example.

    • Course Number: TEAM0211