Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:03,430 Every once in a while, more often 2 2 00:00:03,430 --> 00:00:05,810 with new teams that have not yet gelled, 3 3 00:00:05,810 --> 00:00:09,123 you may encounter personal conflict between team members. 4 4 00:00:10,300 --> 00:00:12,090 Remember the Overview chapter? 5 5 00:00:12,090 --> 00:00:15,920 A team that can handle open conflict of ideas is a sign 6 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:17,270 of a high performing group. 7 7 00:00:18,310 --> 00:00:21,930 But purely personal conflict is a corrosive 8 8 00:00:21,930 --> 00:00:26,210 that can spread and severely impact an entire team, 9 9 00:00:26,210 --> 00:00:27,483 so must be dealt with. 10 10 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,053 As the project manager, sometimes that falls to you. 11 11 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:34,563 So what can you do? 12 12 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,573 Start by trying to understand what is underlying it. 13 13 00:00:40,730 --> 00:00:44,010 There are four common causes of personal conflict 14 14 00:00:44,010 --> 00:00:45,210 among members of a team. 15 15 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,580 Most commonly, a perceived lack of respect. 16 16 00:00:50,580 --> 00:00:52,410 For example, for their knowledge, 17 17 00:00:52,410 --> 00:00:55,113 experience, seniority, or gender. 18 18 00:00:56,110 --> 00:00:59,240 When people don't feel respected, their logic system 19 19 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:01,920 shuts down and then they can respond 20 20 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:03,743 with very dysfunctional behavior. 21 21 00:01:05,820 --> 00:01:09,590 Second, simply poor communication. 22 22 00:01:09,590 --> 00:01:12,490 For example, constant interruptions 23 23 00:01:12,490 --> 00:01:13,960 or lack of acknowledgement of what 24 24 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:15,310 the other person is saying. 25 25 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,830 The essential keys to good communication are covered 26 26 00:01:18,830 --> 00:01:21,140 in the Overview chapter, and there are 27 27 00:01:21,140 --> 00:01:23,173 many great courses that can help. 28 28 00:01:25,010 --> 00:01:28,630 Sometimes conflict is caused by fear a new team member 29 29 00:01:28,630 --> 00:01:30,853 will take an existing team member's place. 30 30 00:01:31,890 --> 00:01:33,970 A strong performer comes onto the team 31 31 00:01:33,970 --> 00:01:36,550 and someone else starts to think, emotionally, 32 32 00:01:36,550 --> 00:01:38,930 sub-rationally, that they are a threat 33 33 00:01:38,930 --> 00:01:40,253 and will replace them. 34 34 00:01:41,950 --> 00:01:45,440 And sometimes the problem is just fear of the project, 35 35 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,713 organization, or even entire business failure. 36 36 00:01:49,730 --> 00:01:51,650 When things are not going well, 37 37 00:01:51,650 --> 00:01:53,993 it can put everyone in a bad mood. 38 38 00:01:56,030 --> 00:01:57,750 So what can you do? 39 39 00:01:57,750 --> 00:02:02,060 Of course first, try to solve the underlying problem. 40 40 00:02:02,060 --> 00:02:04,130 More team building, perhaps send everyone 41 41 00:02:04,130 --> 00:02:08,120 on a communications course, talk to people one on one, 42 42 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:09,883 get some successes to build on. 43 43 00:02:11,220 --> 00:02:14,360 Then if there is no progress, you need 44 44 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,023 to address the people directly. 45 45 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,823 Call the conflicting parties together into a room. 46 46 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:26,970 Ask each in turn to express all of their grievances 47 47 00:02:26,970 --> 00:02:29,250 to get them out on the table. 48 48 00:02:29,250 --> 00:02:32,270 There is some possibility neither of them had ever 49 49 00:02:32,270 --> 00:02:34,770 really heard the complaints before, 50 50 00:02:34,770 --> 00:02:37,193 and some of them might ring true. 51 51 00:02:38,870 --> 00:02:42,310 Then insist each provide at least one positive 52 52 00:02:42,310 --> 00:02:44,173 comment about the other party. 53 53 00:02:45,350 --> 00:02:49,070 This balances the discussion and again, it's possible 54 54 00:02:49,070 --> 00:02:50,990 each party had never heard the other one 55 55 00:02:50,990 --> 00:02:53,253 say anything positive about them before. 56 56 00:02:54,870 --> 00:02:58,053 Now the foundation's been laid for the next steps. 57 57 00:02:59,490 --> 00:03:03,196 Then make clear the negative impact the conflict is having 58 58 00:03:03,196 --> 00:03:05,493 on the team and the project, 59 59 00:03:07,020 --> 00:03:09,090 then demand the parties go away 60 60 00:03:09,090 --> 00:03:12,323 and figure out how to resolve the problem themselves. 61 61 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,170 At the end of the day, nothing you can do 62 62 00:03:16,170 --> 00:03:20,070 will resolve their problem, only the parties themselves 63 63 00:03:20,070 --> 00:03:23,453 can truly decide to change their dynamic. 64 64 00:03:25,030 --> 00:03:29,260 And finally, make clear that if the problem is not resolved 65 65 00:03:29,260 --> 00:03:32,853 then other solutions will need to be taken. 66 66 00:03:34,090 --> 00:03:36,320 They will understand what that means, 67 67 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,593 that you may need to take one or both of them off the team. 68 68 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,790 There needs to be an indication of some consequence 69 69 00:03:43,790 --> 00:03:46,300 if the problem is not solved, in order to get them 70 70 00:03:46,300 --> 00:03:48,673 to take the demand to do so seriously. 71 71 00:03:51,050 --> 00:03:54,073 These steps are usually very effective. 72 72 00:03:55,070 --> 00:03:57,190 You might have to follow up once or twice 73 73 00:03:57,190 --> 00:03:58,880 with the last two steps. 74 74 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,250 Demand they resolve it and make clear there will have 75 75 00:04:01,250 --> 00:04:03,563 to be other solutions taken if not. 76 76 00:04:04,490 --> 00:04:06,560 But the vast majority of the time, 77 77 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,200 if the problem can be solved, just doing this once 78 78 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,593 will cause significant improvement. 79 79 00:04:14,860 --> 00:04:18,330 Also if appropriate and you think it will help, 80 80 00:04:18,330 --> 00:04:20,983 you can also make some organizational changes. 81 81 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,843 Conflict is often caused simply by a person/skills mismatch. 82 82 00:04:27,750 --> 00:04:30,700 Either the team member is feeling they can't do the job, 83 83 00:04:30,700 --> 00:04:34,000 or others recognize they can't and are frustrated, 84 84 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,213 in which case, it's really your fault. 85 85 00:04:37,060 --> 00:04:40,560 In this case, recognize it, try to keep the person 86 86 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,240 with the team, but move them into a role better fitted 87 87 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:45,973 to their skills and temperament. 88 88 00:04:47,470 --> 00:04:50,580 And sometimes simply separating conflicting people 89 89 00:04:50,580 --> 00:04:53,360 into different teams and physical locations 90 90 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:55,360 can remove the constant friction 91 91 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,213 and eliminate most of the discord. 92 92 00:04:59,430 --> 00:05:03,550 However, if none of these solutions work 93 93 00:05:03,550 --> 00:05:06,320 and if you have to replace a team member 94 94 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,533 remember the Star Trek principle. 95 95 00:05:09,607 --> 00:05:14,007 "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one." 96 96 00:05:15,530 --> 00:05:20,410 Protect the project and the team, do not risk failure 97 97 00:05:20,410 --> 00:05:23,033 due to inability to deal with one. 98 98 00:05:24,569 --> 00:05:27,980 I once worked on an 80 person team effort where 99 99 00:05:27,980 --> 00:05:31,370 the project manager could not bring himself to do this, 100 100 00:05:31,370 --> 00:05:34,110 replace a team member causing project failure, 101 101 00:05:34,110 --> 00:05:37,710 and as a result, we crashed spectacularly, 102 102 00:05:37,710 --> 00:05:42,073 wasting $10 million and impacted everyone's careers. 103 103 00:05:43,110 --> 00:05:45,070 I've never forgotten it. 104 104 00:05:45,070 --> 00:05:49,700 79 people and the customer hurt due 105 105 00:05:49,700 --> 00:05:52,093 to inability to deal with one. 106 106 00:05:53,380 --> 00:05:56,133 That's not fair, no matter how you look at it. 107 107 00:05:57,450 --> 00:06:00,550 If personal conflict is hurting your project, 108 108 00:06:00,550 --> 00:06:03,313 try everything you can to resolve it constructively. 109 109 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,990 And then, if necessary, do the right 110 110 00:06:07,990 --> 00:06:10,633 thing to protect the many. 9741