Team Cohesion Essay Example

timeliness of team operations. However, social cohesion can also have negative effects, such as stifling innovative ideas through groupthink, as overly-cohesive teams avoid conflict and think similarly. Conflict can arise due to several reasons like poor communication, lack of problem solving skills, unclear purpose, poor time management, lack of leadership, personality conflicts, and personal problems (Bulleit, ?).

4) Most conflicts can be grouped into two categories similar to cohesion: task and relationship. Task conflict involves substantial differences in opinion related to issues, while relationship conflict involves personal differences that are typically insubstantial (Ward, Lankau, Amason, Sonnenfeld, and Agle, ? 87).

The presence of conflict can lead to either advantageous or disadvantageous outcomes. According to Cloke and Goldsmith (?. 28), conflict has the potential to jeopardize organizational unity, business partnerships, team relationships, and interpersonal connections. However, conflict can also facilitate personal and organizational learning by encouraging individuals to openly, honestly, and empathetically discuss issues impeding their relationships. Consequently, conflict can be viewed as both an obstacle and a chance for growth. The significance of conflict's impact on group solidarity will ultimately be determined by how it is handled.

The correlation between Cohesion and Conflict is complex. The absence of Cohesion can lead to Conflict and Conflict can lead to a decrease in Cohesion. However, these two aspects of team dynamics are not necessarily separate. Successful teams often encourage differing ideas, resulting in potential conflict. Some organizations even encourage conflict as a means of promoting creativity and team unity. Harley-Davidson, Inc. embraces the concept of "creative friction" by utilizing cross-functional teams to generate innovative ideas through clashing viewpoints and perspectives. The company recognizes the costs and benefits of conflict

as a tool to achieve their objectives (Ward, et al.).

Teams that lack conflict may have reduced innovation, as conflict plays a creative role in facilitating consensus among differing perspectives (Sidle, ?. 87). In fact, when there is dissent about the best approach, teams can make superior decisions (Sidle, ?.

The occurrence of dissent and conflict within a team can lead to innovative solutions beyond the team's usual expertise. However, it is necessary to implement productive conflict resolution strategies to reach a collaborative solution. One frequently used strategy is avoidance, but it is generally not effective.

According to Porter (?), avoidance is a strategy that can be employed by a team to bypass conflict and focus on more productive tasks, but only if the conflict is not integral to the team's work. In such situations, it may be beneficial to set aside the conflict and prioritize the important work of the team. Another approach that is comparable to avoidance is compromise, in which individuals sacrifice something in order to achieve agreement.

Method 4 is not ideal, as it does not tackle the entire issue and may lead some team members to give up points that could be favorable for the group. To achieve more advantageous results, it is recommended to use conflict resolution methods such as collaboration or developing win/win solutions. Collaboration involves the members of a team working together to identify the solution that meets the team's objectives effectively.

According to Richards (p.22), genuine collaboration demands intentional and concentrated attention, along with conscious exertion to maintain it. This type of collaboration is challenging since it requires individuals to examine their thought processes and interactions while necessitating significant

emotional self-regulation. A common tendency is for people to prioritize their own thinking, driven by ego, above others.

Having team members dismiss collaborative efforts prematurely can result in a skewed perception of the issue at hand. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare members of a team to possess the necessary emotional intelligence for successful collaboration. Although collaboration is an effective tool for conflict resolution, it may have a shortcoming if a team member is forced to concede or forfeit their argument in order to achieve a goal (DePalma, ? a1).

A more efficient way of collaborating is the implementation of the win/win solution approach, which involves identifying the value of each team member's contribution. The process for this method should be established during the team's formation and adjusted as it evolves. Developing a win/win mentality within the group is crucial for successfully implementing this strategy.

Gitlow and McNary (citation unknown) emphasize that successful win/win behavior in conflict management requires a different approach, which entails developing the habit of re-patterning, a positive outlook, constructive motivations, honest information sharing, and trust. Achieving these requirements demands time, effort, and education. While avoiding conflicts is feasible, seeking to develop resolution habits that stimulate healthy debates, creative friction, and innovation via the different and dissenting opinions of the team members is more advisable. Sidle (citation unknown) warns that failure to work together effectively due to challenging team dynamics and personal agendas prevents teams from fully utilizing their potential.

Although conflict may arise within a group, it can have beneficial outcomes if effective resolution systems are established, implemented, and promoted. It is essential for teams to create these systems before commencing a new project and

utilize them whenever necessary during the project. As the project progresses, the group will notice that unity grows stronger, particularly in times of conflict (Bulleit, 2006).

The retrieval date for the document "Effectively Managing Team Conflict" by K. Cloke from the website http://images.globalknowledge.com/wwwimages/whitepaperpdf/WP_Bulleit_Conflict.pdf is June 25, 2007.The article titled "Conflict Resolution That Reaps Great Rewards" by Goldsmith, J. was published in The Journal for Quality and Participation in May/June 2000 (Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 27-30). The source was retrieved from ProQuest on June 23, 2007.

According to DePalma (2008) in the Antimensa Society Journal (1(2), a1-x2), utilizing intelligent obfuscation can yield advantageous results. The source was retrieved from ProQuest on June 30, 2007.

Forrester, W.