Conflict Management: Plan to Identify and Resolve Possible Areas/Sources of Conflict Related to Cost, Schedule, or Quality

In order to ensure all the stakeholders are clear about the priorities of cost, schedule, and quality among the projects in the portfolio, we need to create an open communication environment by encouraging all stakeholders to talk about project issues. Listening to stakeholder’s concerns will foster an open environment. Besides, the scope and objectives must be clearly defined to not to incur in multiple interpretations that will lead to disagreements.

Conflict often arises because people have mixed expectations about work plans, roles, and responsibilities. Sources of conflict include scarce resources, scheduling priorities, and personal work styles. Team ground rules, group norms, and solid communication planning and role definition reduce the amount of conflict.

Conflict should be addressed early and in private, using a direct, collaborative approach. If disruptive conflict continues, formal procedures may be used, including disciplinary actions.

When managed properly, conflict results in greater productivity and positive working relationships that lead to better decision-making. If the differences become a negative factor, project team members are initially responsible for their resolution. If conflict escalates, the project manager should help facilitate a satisfactory solution. Using confrontation to identify potential or existing problems, and facing up to them, is a way to help resolve this issues. At the organization level this happens by all areas involved in the project agreeing on project objectives, administrative plans, labor requirements, and priorities. It requires careful monitoring of schedules, quick reallocation of resources to problem areas, close contract between project groups, and prompt resolution of technical problem.