Methods for Avoiding and Resolving Conflict

Teams must be able to avoid and resolve conflicts within the group, and they can do so by improving group functioning in the following ways:

Avoid poor communications; train team members in clear communication - both verbal and nonverbal.
Develop planning processes and decision-making techniques. Learn to deal with disagreements by using using creative problem- solving techniques, Nominal Group Process, and other approaches.
Help team members understand the different beliefs or assumptions that other members may have about how to operate as a team. Develop basic working assumptions to work effectively.
Try to select the team to avoid bringing together incompatible motives, values, or personalities; when these problems arise, help team members who disagree to work together.
Avoid team incentives that unfairly reward differential effort, participation, and work. Everyone on the team should take on equitable work responsibilities.
Develop clear teamwork rules to avoid disagreement over rules or policies in the team.
Help team members develop their abilities to deal with change and interpersonal conflict.
Work collaboratively to develop appropriate leadership styles in the group and effective informal leaders; everyone should be able to take on leadership roles in various stages of discussing, planning, and implementing team goals.
Train the team to cope with competition between and among members. Develop team norms and expectations that foster collaboration and collegiality.