In this article, Eisenhardt, Kahwajy, and Bourgeois summarize ten years of data collection from observing top-management teams in technology-based companies who have experienced management conflict in their decision-making process. The findings and recommendations of the article focus on the attributes and differences between teams who manage conflict successfully, avoiding interpersonal conflict and discord, and teams who are consumed by their interpersonal conflict. Based on their observations the authors list the key attributes of teams who are successful in working through conflict and present each with tactics for developing a process to aid less successful teams.
The pill one has to swallow when reading this article is to realize that they belong to a team that is unsuccessful in the decision-making process and the reasons why are looking you right in the face. In an environment, for instance, that lacks a balanced power structure, those without title or authority will hold back good ideas or sound opinions even when their skill set would dictate that they would be a decision maker in some clearly defined area. This absence of conflict for harmony’s sake results in consensus by apathy, which is illustrated by slow change and lack of effort in implementing agreed plans.
LO3: Address complex challenges by collaboratively leading teams across disciplines, distances and sectors.
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