In a team situation we need to realize that problems will arise due to conflicts of interest. Some team members may be more ambitious or more interested in their own goals. This can cause problems with other members. Personal conflicts can cause disharmony in the team, thus defeating the purpose of working together towards a common goal. Consider two team members who just can’t seem to get along with each other. Instead of working together, we have two separate entities with different goals. This conflict can do nothing but harm the team and effect the outcome of the team’s effort in a negative way.

It is imperative that these two members of the team do not, in any way, harm the team’s ability to fulfill its task. When infighting is present in a team environment, the problems created by just two of the team members can destroy the entire mission of the team. Great care must be taken to see that these members recognize the conflict and do whatever they can to find some kind of resoluti

“Behavior patterns run on tracks that have been laid by the social system. To modify the patterns, the tracks have to be re-laid. But in order to change behavioral patterns, permanent insights must be generated. They can develop in the course of discussions which constitute a forum, a place where people can express their opinions with impunity and acquire insights from others.” (Pourroy, Schnelle, 66)

Problems often occur when team members criticize each other too often, or in a hurtful, or vengeful way. This is not something that should be a part of a solid team effort. There is a time and a place for constructive criticism. Time should be set-aside for all team members to air their grievances. This should be done in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Bickering should be avoided. All sides of the issue must be heard in a calm and congenial setting. This will allow members to feel more comfortable about voicing their opinions, because they will actually feel like they matter. The team can be brought together to discuss their problems. A question and answer period can be used to find out just what problems some members are having with each other, or the material presented. This is yet another area where cooperation needs to be uppermost in every team member’s mind. A rational look at the team’s problems is the only way to get things resolved.

This is a classic case of two people in the team just not getting along. While their problems may seem “petty” to the other team members, these two take them quite seriously. Problems need not be huge in order to affect the outcome of the team’s effort. What may seem like small problems at first can escalate into major differences. These differences in opinion must be recognized early. The sooner the team can find out what the conflicts are, the better off they will be in finding solutions. Behavior patterns may have been acquired at an early age. This pattern can cause conflicts between team members. Patterns may need to be altered in order to get cooperation among team members.

Some topics in this essay:
Pourroy Schnelle, , team function, team feel, effective team, team effort, team team, cooperation team, team environment, constructive criticism, conflicts team, team function properly, contribution team, feeling equality team, outcome team’s effort, equality team function,