DZMann

• Sep 14th, 2007

 

When team members are at odds, I ask them to review what our task is. The answer should be "to achieve our target". I ask them to remember that we are not required to like each other, but we are required to work together with respect and that nothing less will be tolerated. The team members in question are then asked if they can work out their problem by themselves or if they need a third party to intervene. If they feel they need a third party, I ask them who that party should be: me, the department director -- maybe Human Resources. Then I make it clear that the issue is to be resolved today, or at the latest tomorrow, that their dissention is putting the project at risk and that is not acceptable.

At all times, I make every effort to not lay blame on either team member unless the situation is extreme. (If the situation was extreme, there would be little or no discussion -- we would go directly to HR.) Whatever the problem might be, I make it clear that we will work it out and we will work it out now.