Resolve Conflicts and Promote Collaboration as an Agile Coach - Essay Example

?In most cases, determining how to build a high-performing agile team, while managing conflicts, is a considerable task for any agile coach. As such,this paper seeks to explore and discuss various conflict resolution methods as well as determining when and how agile coaches can use them. The paper will also outline the pros and cons of conflict resolution techniques that can be used by agile coaches in different situations. The issue in this case is involves a project team that has consistently encountered changes of scope by the product owner. The QA team also emailed the whole team on how poorly the developers have done in their coding. The developers escalated to their manager about the documentation errors done by architects. From this scenario, it can be seen that there is a conflict already among the members of different teams since they are trading accusations about the poor quality of work being done. In order to resolve this conflict, communication is essential. Basically, agile teams rely on collaboration as well as communication among the members in order for them to operate effectively. Adkins (2009) states that: “The call to an agile coach is to help the team see that conflict is normal - and useful - if it remains constructive.” In other words, conflict is not bad if it is constructive. It only impacts negatively on the team if it remains unresolved. In order to resolve the conflict mentioned above, the agile coach should use the strategy of direct confrontation where he or she attempts to do something good for the team. The first step that can be take in solving conflict of this nature is to engage the warring parties where the coach asks if the members have shared their concerns and feelings about it (Adkins, 2009). In the event that they are reluctant to do so, then the agile coach should intervene. Before the coach intervenes, he or she must encourage the team members to engage each other in a cordial manner in order for them to find a lasting solution to the problem since they will stay together in the team for a long period. This can help them to find a lasting solution to the conflict. Secondly, the other conflict resolution technique that can be used by the coach is that he may offer moral support to the complainer so that they may come to terms with the real problems. In this case, the coach should not intervene as the bearer of news as stated by Adkins (2009). Instead, he should support the members so that they can boost their morale in order to overcome the conflict. The third technique that can be used by the agile coach is that he should interact directly with the complainer in order to get to the root of the problem than relying on hearsay. In this team, five causes of conflict include the factors discussed below. The first source of conflict in this case is related to lack of trust among different members of the team. It is more like a blame game where each group believes that the other group has erred because there is no trust among these people. The second cause of conflict in this team is that they denying responsibility for their actions and this is the reason why they have escalated their problem to the manager. The third cause is that the teams involved in this conflict want to avoid accountability in their operations. It can be seen that they do not want to be accountable for the poor and substandard work they have performed and this is the reason why they are accusing each other. The fourth cause of conflict in this case is that the team members show little concern or lack of commitment in their operations. If they have been committed to their work, they would try to solve the problem without pointing fingers at other people. The fifth cause of conflict in this scenario is that the team members do not pay attention to results in their work. This should have helped them to identify the source of conflict and attempt to find solutions before the issue is blown out of proportion. Agile strategies can be applied to this case since they are designed to bring together the warring parties so that they can try to find a lasting solution to the problems encountered as a team. This strategy will also help to create mutual understanding among the team members so that they can be in a position to avoid a similar situation from occurring in the future. There are different levels of conflict in agile teams. The first level is problem to solve (Adkins, 2010). The resolution technique that can be used in this case is for the coach to do nothing. The advantage of this is that it will help the team members to solve the problem on their own and find common understanding among themselves. However, the disadvantage is that if conflict is left unresolved, it can escalate which means that it can cause more problems in the future. The second level of conflict is disagreement where the members distance themselves from the problem thereby avoiding each other (Adkins, 2010). The strategy that can be used by the coach is to engage the members so that they can find a common solution to the problem. The advantage of this strategy is that mutual understanding is promoted among the team members who are in conflict. However, the problem of this strategy is that the team members may get used to this scenario whereby they will end up failing to solve problems on their own. In other words, the coach’s intervention may set a bad precedence. The third level of conflict is contest where emotions are used as tools to win support (Adkins, 2010). The resolution strategy that can be used is to accommodate where the other person can yield to the other members views in order to safeguard the relationship. The benefit is that members will agree on one thing. However, the disadvantage of this strategy is that it is short term based. It does not provide a long term solution to the problem. The strategies that can be used by an agile coach to use conflict as a catapult to achieve high performance include the following factors. The first aspect is motivation which boosts the morale of the team members to put optimum effort in their operations in order to attain high performance results (Whitworth & Biddle, n.d). Coaches who are able to motivate their team members are in a better position to use conflict as a catapult to achieve high performance. On the other hand, cohesion is the other strategy that can be used by the coach to achieve high performance among the team members. Through cohesion, unity and mutual understanding is promoted among the team members such that they can pull their efforts towards the attainment of the desired goals. This will help them to share the same vision with the coach. The other strategy is that the coach should accommodate different team members so that they can also feel as part of the group. When team members are treated as important, they will put optimum performance in their operations. The following five best practices for collaboration and cooperation within agile teams are recommended. 1) Accommodate other people’s views- If people are treated as important, they will be motivated to do their best at work. 2). Negotiation is essential- agile coaches should use this strategy since it helps the people in conflict to find a common ground to solve their problems. 3). Offer moral support- It is recommended that agile coaches should offer moral support to their team members so that they can quickly find solutions to their problems. 4). Use consensus- agile coaches should use consensus when dealing with conflicts so that there is no one who will feel short changed. 5). The other best practice is that agile coaches should not intervene in case of minor conflicts since this helps the team members to find amicable solutions to their problems without unnecessary intervention by third parties. References Adkins, L. (18 August, 2013). Navigating the Five Levels of Conflict - The Agile Way.’ Viewed from: . Adkins, L. (18 January, 2009). ‘Handling Conflict on Agile Teams: What to Do When a Team Member Complains.’ Viewed from: . Whitworth, E. and Biddle, R. (n.d). Motivation and Cohesion in Agile Teams. Viewed from: . Read More