Function Barrier
Integrating activities Poor inter-team coordination
Little opportunity to meet
Low profile leadership
Poor Inter-Team Coordination
The second major function of communication within the organisation is that of integration; communication brings and holds the organisation's members into a cohesive working unit. However, without overall coordination by the central leadership, there will be the high probability of inter-team friction.
Sources of conflict
Conflict arises because someone wants what he cannot have. This simple observation comes from the first century AD and probably hasn't been bettered. Within the team, there are a number of objects at which that 'want' may be directed, and it is interesting to note that the list is almost the same as that which causes conflict to arise between nations:
territorial conflicts - 'I want part, or all of your job'
border conflicts - 'That's my job!'
resource conflicts - 'I’m using the car tonight!’
ethnic conflicts - 'You're different!'
influence conflicts - 'They won't listen to you!'
ideological conflicts - 'You're wrong!’
To this list we need only add 'personality based conflicts' and we have covered 99% of the sources of conflict in a team.
Territorial conflicts in the group setting relate to competition for roles or responsibilities.
I want to be chairman or to be given responsibility for the next project -so do you.
You think you can do my job better than I can, and make attempts to take over my work.
The conflict may be based on real, objective data.
I do want your job as treasurer and I am determined to show up your shortcomings and inadequacies at every opportunity.
Or, you may only think I want your job as treasurer and that every comment that I make about the quality of your work is a direct attack on your position. In fact, all I am trying to do is to improve your performance and strengthen your position as treasurer - I am just not doing it very well!
Real or imagined, conflict has been developed.
Border conflicts in teams arise when the roles and responsibilities of team members are not clear. Overlap occurs between your role and my role, and where our boundaries touch, there is confusion, friction and conflict. I think I am responsible for communication with the world outside the group, but as secretary you have the responsibility for the minutes, agenda and annual reports. I want to vet these,
but you see them as your sole responsibility. It is not that I want your job or you mine, it is simply that we are not clear where our boundaries lie.
Resource conflict. In the world it is oil or fish; in the team it is usually time or money. The team has a limited budget; it can only purchase one major piece of equipment this year - you want a photocopier, I want a projector. We want what we cannot have! Time is a more subtle source of conflict. It may be that I talk too much in the team and do not give you enough time to present your ideas and proposals.
Ethnic conflicts are one of the major problems facing the world today. We carry our prejudices into all situations, often without being aware of them. We discriminate. We try to put others 'in their place' - below us, of course!
Influence as a source of conflict is not easily recognised. You want to be the confidante of the team leader -so do I! You're only a woman! We tend to recruit in our own image: male or female, graduate or non-graduate, black or white.
Ideological conflicts cover a wide area and include religious prejudice and political differences. We value people who hold similar attitudes and priorities - and we get into conflict with those who differ from us.
Personality-based conflicts come from within. The hostile person is one who has developed feelings of insecurity and now tries to protect his weak self-concept by attacking others. Conflicts can also arise due to thinking patterns. For example, highly evaluative critical thinkers often get into conflict with creative thinkers, since the evaluator can see no value in the 'way out' ideas of the innovator, while the creative thinker will feel under constant pressure and attack by the critical thinker. Yet both are needed in the group.
QUESTION What sources of conflict do you experience in your team?
Whatever the source of conflict, we need to deal with it promptly and effectively, for unchecked conflict can damage or even destroy the team.
Leadership and the use of informal meetings are two vital factors which can help overcome personality-based conflicts.
Informal Meetings
The team that plays together, stays together. Informality aids communication, it allows the opportunity for relaxed, non-verbal, adult to adult communication to develop. A consideration of the Gospels will illustrate how much space Jesus gives to His disciples for the informal discussion -by the lake, on the hillside, on the road, in the fields, the upper room.
Create more space for informal exchange.
Check your own organisation communications against the following 10 questions.
Circle the response which best indicates your situation.
From which source do you receive most information? leadership minutes agenda intranet
Which channels do you use to give information? leadership meetings email blog
How often do you feel you have not been 'put in the picture'? never seldom sometimes often
Is information hard to come by in the organisation? never sometimes often always
How often do others in the organisation complain of not being 'in the picture'? never seldom sometimes often
How often do you have meetings? daily weekly monthly annually
How often have you found that work you are doing has been or is already being done by someone else in the organisation? never seldom sometimes often
How often have you found that a better briefing would have saved you time or effort? never seldom sometimes often
Are you able to communicate at organisation meetings? always often sometimes rarely
How often have you been 'by-passed' in the communication flow? never seldom sometimes often