Consider each of the following five scenarios and decide what may be causing the team’s problem (task, interpersonal, or roles) and what steps the team could take to resolve the issues. Consider which of the suggested team conflict resolution approaches would work best (one-on-one, facilitation, or team) and work out how you would structure the discussion. You may want to go back to Exhibit 9.10 on conflict-handling modes and consider one of the approaches discussed there.

Work independently for about 10 minutes; then share your ideas with a breakout group, rotating leadership of the discussion after each scenario. You should assume that all the teams in these scenarios are working on a project that will last several months, so they must resolve any issues they have—merely appeasing one or more members would not be a viable long-term solution.

1. Team One has spent several hours discussing alternative process improvement ideas to streamline the expense reporting system. Tonya frequently interrupts others and is disrespectful of their ideas. She says, “I don’t know why we have to spend so much time discussing alternatives when the answers are so obvious! Let’s make a decision and get out of here”

What is causing this conflict and what should the team do to change the disruptive behavior of their member?

2. Team Two is working on an ad hoc project to improve company morale.

They are meeting over lunch, since their regular schedule is so full. Two members of the five-person team have brought food to the meeting, which is held in the company’s small break room. Tom really objects because he dislikes the strong smell of garlic and curry in the small room. He sends a text to Mary (another team member) to complain, writing,

“SOS—can’t stand the smell!”

To which Mary rolls her eyes, sighs, and writes,

“4COL. Say something then.”

Their texting is disrupting the meeting and making other attendees uncomfortable.

What is the source of the conflict and what should the team do?

3. Team Three is approaching the end of a big project on which each person has been working independently. They are meeting to bring together sections of a report, which is due in the morning. The leader is expecting all to arrive with their analysis complete and with a deck of a few slides they can merge into one 20-slide PowerPoint presentation. However, one member comes in with his Excel sheets and computer, one shows up with 50 Power-

Point slides, and two others arrive with four or five completed graphs. As each person presents his or her part of the work, the leader realizes they will never make their deadline.

Why is the team in this predicament and how can they prevent this type of misunderstanding from occurring in the future?

4. Team Four has a strong team charter and every member participates. On a major project, the team decides to divide up the work and check in with each other every few days. One member, Gary, is not sure he understands his part of the work. He does his best to complete his section, but he has also been having some personal problems that have kept him from focusing on work for a few weeks, so he gives the group his portion of the project the night before the deadline. The rest of the team members review his work and decide it is unacceptable; they spend all night reworking his section prior to delivering their interim report to the company president. As the next phase of the project starts, the team is concerned that Gary’s work will continue to be late and of substandard quality. What may have led the team to this conflict and how should the team approach Gary to resolve it?

5. Team Five meets on a regular basis every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. before work begins. Bashirah always arrives late, often bringing donuts and coffee for the other members. She doesn’t seem concerned about being late, and she does get right down to business, but one of the other members is really becoming upset about this, saying, “I have to get up at 6:00 to be here on time, but I can make it, why can’t she?