5个项目管理中的冲突解决技术

Today we will discuss the five conflict resolution techniques that we use in project management to resolve conflict.

These techniques are universal to any type of workplace.

However, in project management, the work environment is dynamic and stressful, unlike the functional environment. Conflicts are common occurrences. If you are managingprojects, you know how important it is to manage conflicts, and that is why you should understand the conflict resolution techniques.

Conflict Resolution Techniques

When two or morestakeholders有不同的意见或兴趣，可能会发生冲突。

安排优先级，稀缺资源，技术原因和个人问题都可能导致冲突。b0b体育app根据美国管理协会的说法，管理人员花费了24％的时间管理冲突。

Don’t panic; the situation is usually not as bad as you think. Resolving conflicts appropriately can build trust and sometimes bring new ideas and opportunities. This can make the difference between a positive and negative outcome.

If you don’t solve the conflict, your team members will lose trust. It will weaken your position as a project manager and the ability of your team to bond, which may affect your project’s success. You must deal with conflict before it is beyond resolution.

The following are a few consequences of improper conflict management:

• 低团队士气
• Negative impact on the project manager’s authority
• 数量的增加个人clashes
• Low productivity and efficiency
• Low-quality work

如果需要，项目经理必须尽快监视和解决冲突，以防止他们成为更大的问题。

Now, we will talk about conflict resolution techniques.

This blog follows the PMI guidelines and PMBOK Guide. Here are the five techniques:

1. Withdraw/Avoid
2. Smooth/Accommodate
3. Compromise/Reconcile
4. Force/Direct
5. Collaborate/Problem Solve

These conflict management strategies are also known as Thomas-Kilmann’s five approaches to resolving conflict.

Let’s discuss each technique in detail.

＃1。避免退出

在这个冲突解决技巧,你避免the conflict or retreat and allow conflict to resolve itself. This is for when stakes are low, and the conflict is likely to disappear on its own.

Use this technique in the following cases:

• Individuals involved in the conflict are not influential stakeholders.
• The issue does not require a time investment.
• An intense argument has already happened, and the individuals need time to cool off.
• You do not have enough information to pursue other techniques.

Advantages

This technique saves time that you can invest elsewhere. It is a good conflict management strategy to apply to low-level disagreements and gives you enough time to prepare if the conflict re-emerges.

Disadvantages

Withdrawing or avoiding is not really a resolution, does not resolve a conflict, and may weaken your position because parties may assume you have an unfair bias. Team members may think you are lacking skills or are not authoritative.

Many experts don’t consider this technique as a conflict management strategy, that avoiding and escaping is not a solution.

#2. Smooth or Accommodate

In this conflict resolution strategy, you find areas of agreement and try to smooth out the situation and circumvent tough discussions.

The smoothing technique gives more consideration to one party than the other. You downplay the seriousness and behave as the conflict never existed.

This technique is helpful in the following cases:

• You don’t have time to deal with it.
• You require a temporary solution to the problem.
• The conflict is minor and involves less influential stakeholders.

Advantages

This conflict resolution strategy does not require much effort. You can focus on essential issues by ignoring unimportant arguments. Situations can be potentially handled simply while bringing harmony, creating goodwill, and providing enough time to find a permanent solution.

Disadvantages

如果您未能带来平衡的方法，则一方可能会利用，因为您会给他们更多的考虑。其他没有被容纳的各方可能会质疑您的权威或停止报告冲突。

不建议采用这种解决冲突策略，因为它通常会削弱项目经理的权威。

#3. Compromise or Reconcile

In this conflict management strategy, you take suggestions from both sides and partially satisfy them. This technique is useful when the stakeholders involved hold equal power.

You may use this technique in the following cases:

• All parties involved need to win
• When you have an equal relationship with both parties
• Collaborative and forcing techniques have failed
• When you need a temporary solution

Advantages

This technique brings quick results, lowers stress, and keeps all parties placated until you can find a permanent solution. You can cool off and revisit the situation later.

Disadvantages

This conflict management technique does not generate trust in the long run; all parties remain unsatisfied, and the conflict could resurface at any time. Morals are not being strengthened. You may have to ensure all parties abide by the agreement.

#4. Force or Direct

In this conflict management strategy, you agree with one party’s viewpoint and enforce their wishes. This is a win-lose situation and risks demoralizing the team.

You can use this conflict resolution technique in the following cases:

• When you need a quick solution
• 当您知道一个聚会是正确的
• You do not have time to investigate
• When the conflict is not very important
• When the relationship with stakeholders is not essential

Advantages

该技术提供了一个快速解决方案。它几乎不需要项目经理的努力，这可能有助于建立他们的权威。

Disadvantages

Using this technique may cause a negative impression on you. You may lose opportunities gained from the opposing party’s viewpoint. You cannot apply this technique with powerful stakeholders. It may backfire and worsen the conflict.

#5. Collaborate or Problem Solve

In a collaborative conflict resolution strategy, you discuss the issue with all parties and agree on a solution while considering multiple viewpoints.

You may use this technique in the following cases:

• When incorporating multiple views
• If influential stakeholders are involved
• When a consensus is required
• If you want to distribute responsibility

Advantages

This is a real problem-solving technique that provides a solution to the conflict. It brings consensus, commitment, and shared responsibility for the outcome. This technique creates a win-win situation, builds your team’s confidence, earns respect, and establishes your authority.

Disadvantages

You cannot use this technique when you need a quick solution because it takes time and effort. It is generally used for conflicts that may affect your project, not all issues

Which Conflict Resolution Technique Should I Use?

The PMI does not recommend using any specific technique for all conflicts; it all depends on the situation and the stakeholders involved.

For example, if two ground-level laborers have a conflict, what should you do?

You may ignore it.

However, if you see that some important stakeholders have a conflict, you will intervene, solve the conflict, and spare your project from harm.

Although no single technique can be used for all conflicts, generally, it is thought that the “Collaborate or Problem Solve” method brings the most consensus and commitment.

How to Prevent Conflict

You cannot keep all conflict from happening, but following a few rules can minimize it. These guidelines are:

• Establish Strict Ground Rules:These help discipline team members which result in less conflict.
• Have an Effective Communication Plan:This can help you avoid many conflicts. Define how much and how often you will communicate with your stakeholders.
• Have a Better Stakeholder Management Plan:Your project is successful if your stakeholders are happy. Project management is all about managing stakeholders’ requirements.
• Solve Conflict Early:This takes less time and effort. Make sure an unresolved conflict doesn’t resurface again later.

项目经理在解决冲突中的作用

I have explained all strategies to resolve conflicts and how you can use them. As a project manager, you have to respond rationally and reach a solution that best serves your objective.

While resolving a conflict, keep the following points in mind:

• Each participant deserves respect
• Be calm, and rational.
• People are separate from problems
• Each participant should be listened to patiently
• There are always areas of agreement and disagreement
• You should explore all possible solutions.
• Mind your biases and don’t pick sides
• 不要强迫或压力参与者
• Postponed conflicts may fester.
• 专注于冲突，不要让问题升级或概括。

Summary

As a project manager, you are responsible for keeping conflicts under control. You cannot use any single technique for all types of conflict. However, you should use a conflict resolution strategy that inspires consensus and commitment from team members.

This is where this blog post on conflict resolution techniques ends.

Below is my old blog post on conflict resolution strategies based on the fourth edition of the PMBOK Guide. Since I have re-written it based on the sixth edition of thebob手机客户端, the old blog post is no longer relevant but I am keeping it archived.

“Conflict Resolution Techniques” was one of my favorite topics during myPMP certification exam preparation. Although, I observed a discrepancy between the PMP exam reference books and the PMBOK guide.

All the reference books suggested that confronting is the best conflict resolution technique and that a project manager should use this technique to resolve conflicts in all cases. However, the PMBOK Guide (fourth edition) favors the collaborative technique.

I have reviewed this edition of the PMBOK Guide repeatedly but I could not find any support for this.. To my surprise, nobody is discussing this discrepancy.

Therefore, I am launching my blog to address this issue, which is my first blog post.

Let’s get started.

Conflict happens while managing projects. The PMI recognizes this fact and they have incorporated conflict resolution techniques into the PMBOK Guide.

Sources of conflict include scheduling priorities, technical problems, personal issues, scarcity of resources, etc.

According to the PMBOK Guide (fourth edition), you can use six conflict resolution techniques to resolve conflicts:

1. Withdrawing or Avoiding
2. 平滑或包容
3. 妥协
4. Forcing
5. Collaborating
6. Problem Solving or Confronting

Now I will discuss each technique and the best conflict resolution, as per the PMBOK Guide.

1. Withdrawing or Avoiding: The project manager chooses to avoid the conflict and those involved find a solution.
2. 平滑或适应：项目经理参与冲突，试图避免分歧和艰难的讨论领域，并专注于共同点。平滑是避免艰难讨论的一种方式。
3. 妥协: This is a mid-way approach. Here, everybody gains some but no one gets exactly what they want. This is a lose-lose approach.
4. 强迫：项目经理决定以一方为代价。该技术有可能使团队成员沮丧，并可能在将来造成严重的冲突。这是一种获胜的方法。
5. Collaborating: The project manager works with all parties to find a resolution that involves multiple viewpoints to create the best solution. This technique reinforces mutual trust and commitment. This is an example of a win-win approach.

在《 PMBOK指南》的第四版中，协作和解决问题是不同的技bob手机客户端术。但是，第五和第六版是相同的技术。同样，解决问题在第四版中被称为面对，但它不再出现在当前的PMBOK指南中。bob手机客户端

A Note on Problem Solving or Confronting Technique

In confronting technique, the project manager must find a solution for a conflict. He will conduct a root cause analysis, provide a platform for all parties to express their disagreements and arrive at a solution.

So, Which is the Best Technique to Resolve a Conflict?

I have reviewed many books and internet resources to discover the best conflict resolution technique. Amazingly, I got the same answer: Confronting or Problem-Solving is the best technique for conflict resolution.

However, I do not agree with this.

The job of a project manager is not an easy one; they must constantly deal with multiple conflicts. No two conflicts are the same, so why would you always use one technique?

项目经理必须利用他们的判断力和经验来确定哪种冲突解决技术最适合每种情况。所选技术取决于情况，时机和所涉及的个人。

The primary objective of the project manager is to complete the project successfully.

A project manager is not a detective. It’s not their job to look for the root cause, dig every available detail and scraps of evidence, and then reach a conclusion.

With problem-solving techniques, one person wins, and another loses; this is not a win-win situation and will leave one party unsatisfied even if they are in the wrong.

审慎的项目经理将试图避免这种情况，并寻找使各方满意的解决方案。合作的冲突解决技术，这是所有人的双赢局面。

Let us see what does the PMBOK Guide says:

Page-239, second paragraph:

“If conflict escalates, the project manager should help facilitate a satisfactory resolution. Conflict should be addressed early and usually in private, using a direct, collaborative approach.”

Page-229, last paragraph:

“……以建设性的方式管理冲突，并鼓励协作解决问题和决策。”

No statement in the PMBOK Guide suggests using the problem solving/confrontation technique for all conflicts; however, I noticed that the PMBOK Guide recommends the collaborative technique.

It seems that the PMI agrees with me too!

My View

我不建议使用协作technique to solve all conflicts. However, it is the only technique that leads to consensus and commitment among all parties involved in the conflict.

The strategy of conflict management depends on the conflict. You can use the technique you think will be best suited to the situation to resolve the conflict. However, I cannot agree that confronting is the best conflict resolution technique, and you should not use it blindly.

哪些冲突解决技术最大程度地帮助您解决冲突？请通过评论部分分享您的经验。