Unit 5 Written Assignment, University of the People
Read the Case Study: The Vigilance Project. https://web.stevens.edu/ses/documents/fileadmin/documents/pdf/The_Vigilance_Project_Student_Workbook_Final.pdf
Answer the following questions.
- Why is this case about team conflict? What conflicts do you see developing?
- How is distance affecting team dynamics and performance?
- What do you think about the decision to appoint sub-team sponsors? What problem can it solve? Which problems might it not solve?
- In addition to technical skills, what does this case say about the kinds of skills that must be considered when staffing important projects?
- What conflict negotiation skills are most appropriate for this case?
Grade: 85/90 (525 words)
- Why is this case about team conflict? What conflicts do you see developing?
In the recent 20 years' research, four key types of team conflict have been defined: task, relationship, process, and status conflicts. Status conflict is the meaning of disputing over members' positions in the team's social hierarchy. (Greer & Dannals, 2017) This case falls under those four types of team conflicts. I describe the developing conflicts based on the types.
Task conflicts: Most of the U.S. members were not assigned the tasks they were looking forward to.
Relationship Conflicts: As described in the case overview, "U.S. team members even began thinking twice about providing their European colleagues with information" (Dominick, 2008)., U.S. team members have trouble trusting France based colleagues.
Process conflicts: From the perspective of U.S. members, the project manager ignored their opinions, and the processes demotivate them.
Status conflicts: The project manager prioritized France based team's opinions over the U.S. one.
- How is distance affecting team dynamics and performance?
The distance caused the prevent informal communication and cultural differences, and these effects kept their performance low. As Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory, both the U.S. and France are an individualist. However.
France is categorized as high power distance, which means a leader's desires more influence the French. (Hunt, 2010)
- What do you think about the decision to appoint sub-team sponsors? What problem can it solve? Which problems might it not solve?
I thought there are both positive and negative effects on all teams. Due to some communication problems caused by the project managers' communication manners and the distance between U.S. and France, U.S. based team felt they had no way to say opinions to the project manager and France based team. Sponsors could be a new means of communication to solve the U.S. members' frustration regarding contact with France based members. On the other hand, the sudden announcement of the appointing sponsors confused the division. Also, the communication gap between France and the U.S. may not be solved.
- In addition to technical skills, what does this case say about the kinds of skills that must be considered when staffing important projects?
Working with others without conflicts is necessary because they are composed of many people regarding essential staffing projects. In this case, the number of members is 19. Recently, I was assigned as a project leader, and there are nearly 30 members in the project. Katz divided the essential managerial skills into three categories: technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills. Goleman broke down human skills: Self-awareness, Motivation, Empathy, and Social skill. (Hunt, 2010) Among these four skills, I think that Empathy (understand others' emotions) and Social skills (rapport with others and build good relationships) must be considered when staffing essential projects.
- What conflict negotiation skills are most appropriate for this case?
In this case, the communication problems caused most conflicts, so I think Interpersonal skills are appropriate. "Such skills include assertiveness, listening, questioning, framing or problem defining, and influencing skills." (Eunson, 2011) Significantly, the project manager, Didier Amrani, need to use listening skills.
References
Dominick, P. G. (2008). The vigilance project – case overview. Society for Human Resource Management. https://web.stevens.edu/ses/documents/fileadmin/documents/pdf/The_Vigilance_Project_Student_Workbook_Final.pdf
Eunson, B. (2011). Conflict management. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Greer, L. L., & Dannals, J. (2017). Conflict in teams. In R. Rico, E. Salas, & N. Ashkanasy
(Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Team Dynamics, Teamwork, and Collaborative Working (pp. 317–344). Somerset, NY: Wiley Blackwell. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315436367_Conflict_in_Teams
Hunt, J., Osborn, R., Schermerhorn, J. & Uhl-Bien, M (2010) Organizational Behavior, 11th Edition. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
