Conflict Management in Our Self-Managing Team
Conflict Management in our Self-Managing Team
(A Theory/Experience Paper)
I work in a department where there is three people team. Our team is a self-managing team. Each one of us is delegated to do almost all activities that are essential to the survival of our business.
For example, my co-worker and I are equally authorized in trying to recruit qualified resources as our manager does. Both of us are empowered to interview resources and use our own judgment to decide whether and how much work we give to each resource. We also share equal responsibilities to market our business.
I give high credit to my manager for trusting us and empowering us to do many things that normally is thought to be the sole power of the manager. That is also made possible by our higher boss who most of the time “leaves us alone” so we three people can do our job the way we think appropriate.
Business slowly and steadily grew larger since several years ago I pushed system data automation. The higher executives in the company listened and helped. It was a big investment for a small business at that time but time has proven that it was worth it.
We all enjoy some flexibility of work schedules because we cover for each other during others’ absence. We have created a nice communication rule where everybody is copied on all business emails so it is easy to trace back in case it is necessary. No more need to ask customers to wait on one issue just because one person is not in the office at that moment.
As much as our little group is successful in big ways, we do struggle with ongoing group conflicts that bother each of us in little ways. Whether the “dosage” of conflict is healthy for a small group of three or not, it certainly creates some stress and takes tolls on our health.
Before I joined this threesome group, there was Amy, Belle, Cherry and Doris and etc.. None of the ABCD survived the tension between my manager and my co-worker. Since my co-worker join the
(A Theory/Experience Paper)
I work in a department where there is three people team. Our team is a self-managing team. Each one of us is delegated to do almost all activities that are essential to the survival of our business.
For example, my co-worker and I are equally authorized in trying to recruit qualified resources as our manager does. Both of us are empowered to interview resources and use our own judgment to decide whether and how much work we give to each resource. We also share equal responsibilities to market our business.
I give high credit to my manager for trusting us and empowering us to do many things that normally is thought to be the sole power of the manager. That is also made possible by our higher boss who most of the time “leaves us alone” so we three people can do our job the way we think appropriate.
Business slowly and steadily grew larger since several years ago I pushed system data automation. The higher executives in the company listened and helped. It was a big investment for a small business at that time but time has proven that it was worth it.
We all enjoy some flexibility of work schedules because we cover for each other during others’ absence. We have created a nice communication rule where everybody is copied on all business emails so it is easy to trace back in case it is necessary. No more need to ask customers to wait on one issue just because one person is not in the office at that moment.
As much as our little group is successful in big ways, we do struggle with ongoing group conflicts that bother each of us in little ways. Whether the “dosage” of conflict is healthy for a small group of three or not, it certainly creates some stress and takes tolls on our health.
Before I joined this threesome group, there was Amy, Belle, Cherry and Doris and etc.. None of the ABCD survived the tension between my manager and my co-worker. Since my co-worker join the