Topic 3: Communication and Conflict Management

(Chapter 6 - Communication)
1. Modeling the Communications Environment
2. Project Review Meetings
3. Project Management Bottlenecks
4. Project Problem Solving
5. Brainstorming
6. Predicting the Outcome of a Decision
(Chapter 7 – Conflict Management)
7. The Conflict Environment
a. Types
b. Resolution and Resolution Modes
c. Management
8. Understanding Superior, Subordinate, and Functional Conflicts

Effective project communications ensure that we get the right information to the right person at
the right time and in a cost-effective manner. Proper communication is vital to the success of a
project.
Typical definitions of effective communication include:
 An exchange of information
 An act or instance of transmitting information
 A verbal or written message
 A technique for expressing ideas effectively
 A process by which meanings are exchanged between individuals through a common
system of symbols

1. MODELING THE COMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENT

Communication flows upward and downward, formal and informal, external or internal.
Communication barriers should be overcome by the project manager.

The screens or barriers are from one’s perception, personality and interest, attitudes, emotions,
and prejudices.

The communications environment is controlled by both the internal and external forces, which
can act either individually or collectively. These forces can either assist or restrict the attainment
of project objectives.
2. PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS
Project review meetings are necessary to show that progress is being made on a project. There
are three types of review meetings:
 Project team review meetings: Most projects have weekly, bimonthly, or monthly
meetings in order to keep the project manager and his team informed about the project’s
status.
 Executive management review meetings: Executive management has the right to require
monthly status review meetings.
 Customer project review meetings: Customer review meetings are often the most critical
and most inflexibly scheduled. Project managers must allow time to prepare handouts and
literature well in advance of the meeting.

3. PROJECT MANAGEMENT BOTTLENECKS

Poor communications can easily produce communications bottlenecks. The most common
bottleneck occurs when all communications between the customer and the parent organization
must flow through the project office.

Requiring that all information pass through the project office may be necessary but slows
reaction times. Regardless of the qualifications of the project office members, the client always
fears that the information he receives will be “filtered” prior to disclosure.

Another bottleneck occurs when the customer’s project manager considers himself to be in a
higher position than the contractor’s project manager and, therefore, seeks some higher authority
with which to communicate.

Part of good communication skills is effective or active listening.

4. PROJECT PROBLEM SOLVING
Problem-solving and decision-making go hand in hand. Problem-solving involves identifying
and understanding the problem, gathering the facts, and developing alternatives. Decisions are
made when we select the appropriate alternative. There is a strong argument that decision-
making is also needed and used as part of identifying the problem and developing alternatives.

5. BRAINSTORMING
Brainstorming is a means for identifying alternative solutions to a problem. It can also be used
for root-cause identification of the problem.
There are four basic rules in brainstorming. The rules are intended to stimulate idea generation
and increase overall creativity of the group while minimizing the inhibitions people may have
about working in groups.
1. Focus on quantity: maximization of possible ideas.
2. Withhold criticism: Criticism should take place but after the brainstorming session is
completed.
3. Welcome unusual ideas: All ideas should be encouraged, whether good or bad. People
must be encouraged to think “outside the box,” and this may generate new perspectives
and a new way of thinking.
4. Combine and improve ideas: New ideas should be encouraged from the combination of
ideas already presented.

6. PREDICTING THE OUTCOME OF A DECISION

Problem-solving and decision-making require the project manager to predict how those impacted
by the decision will react to the alternative selected. Soliciting feedback prior to the
implementation of the solution seems nice to do, but the real impact of the decision may not be
known until after full implementation of the solution.

The most obvious choice would be the alternatives that have a low impact and are easy to
implement.

7. THE CONFLICT ENVIRONMENT

Conflicts occur because people on the project team may have different values, interests, feelings,
and goals.
a. The most common types of conflicts involve:
 Staffing resources
 Equipment and facilities
 Capital expenditures
 Costs
 Technical opinions and trade-offs
 Priorities
 Administrative procedures
 Scheduling
 Responsibilities
 Personality clashes
 b. The four most common resolution methods are:
1. The development of company-wide conflict resolution policies and procedures.
2. The establishment of project conflict resolution procedures during the early planning
activities.
3. The use of hierarchical referral.
4. The requirement of direct contact.

Many conflicts can be either reduced or eliminated by constant communication of the project
objectives to the team members. This continual repetition may prevent individuals from going
too far in the wrong direction.

Conflict resolution modes:

1. Confronting or collaborating
2. Compromising
3. Smoothing or accommodating
4. Forcing (or Competing, Being assertive)
5. Avoiding or withdrawing

c. Management
Good project managers realize that conflicts are inevitable, but that good procedures or
techniques can help resolve them. Once a conflict occurs, the project manager must:
1. Study the problem and collect all available information
2. Develop a situational approach or methodology
3. Set the appropriate atmosphere or climate

8. UNDERSTANDING SUPERIOR, SUBORDINATE, AND FUNCTIONAL CONFLICTS

Conflict causes maybe in schedules, priorities, manpower, technical, procedures, personality,
costs.

Most conflicts occur between the project manager and the functional manager or functional
personnel, and a few only between project personnel, superiors, and/or subordinates.

The project manager to be effective must understand how to work with the various employees
who interface with the project. These employees include upper-level management, subordinate
project team members, and functional personnel.

The project manager must demonstrate an ability for continuous adaptability by creating a
different working environment with each group of employees.

Assignment 4
1. Is it possible for functional employees to have performed a job so long or so often that they
no longer listen to the instructions given by the project or functional managers?
2. Is it possible for a project manager to hold too few project review meetings?
3. If a situation occurs that can develop into meaningful conflict, should the project manager
let the conflict continue as long as it produces beneficial contributions, or should he try to
resolve it as soon as possible?