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What are four common causes of conflict in a work team?

Question:

What are four common causes of conflict in a work team?

Common causes of conflict in a work team:

Conflict in a work team can be defined as a disagreement between two or more team members over issues such as goals, tasks, or resources. Conflict may arise due to different personal beliefs or values, different destinations or objectives, or simply due to personality clashes. While conflict can sometimes be unfavorable, it can also lead to increased creativity and improved decision-making; managing conflict effectively is an integral part of being a successful team leader.

Answer and Explanation:

There are four common causes of conflict in a work team: miscommunication, personality conflicts, lack of trust, and power struggles.

  • Miscommunication happens when people don't share the same understanding of what is happening, leading to frustration and conflict. People may feel that their efforts are not being recognized or understood.
  • Personality conflicts arise when people have different values, needs, or ways of working. These conflicts can be challenging to resolve because they often involve disagreements about fundamental issues.
  • Lack of trust can also lead to conflict because team members may be reluctant to share information or collaborate with others out of fear that their contributions will not be valued or used against them.
  • Power struggles and conflict can arise in any workplace; they are ubiquitous in teams with no clarity about their roles and responsibilities or where people are competing for limited resources. Power struggles can erupt when team members feel that they are not given their fair share of responsibilities or input into decision-making. This can be particularly frustrating for team members who feel that they are putting in more effort than others or feel that their expertise is not being recognized or valued.

Learn more about this topic:

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Strategies for Managing Work Conflict as a Team

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Chapter 2 / Lesson 3
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Conflict in the workplace should be managed appropriately to maintain healthy team cohesion. Identify the strategies in promoting healthy conflict, and ways to resolve and move past situations in the workplace through an example.


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