Taking Advantage of Conflicts in Group Decision Making

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Taking Advantage of Conflicts in Group Decision Making

In past research it was often argued that group decision making (GDM) improves if task-conflicts are present.
Task-conflicts are different opinions about the content and outcomes of the task being
performed.
Why this positive effect? Because task-conflicts prevent premature consensus and encourage critical thinking. It seems obvious. But other studies found no such relationship or even a negative one. The relationship between tasks conflicts and good GDM is thus ambiguous.

De Wit, Jehn and Scheepers have recently discovered that another factor is playing an important role when we're analyzing the extent to which task-conflicts are beneficial for GDM: the presence (or absence) of a relationship conflict.
According to the authors, task conflicts are more likely to have a positive effect on GDM if relationship conflicts are absent in the company.

They suggest 2 possibilities in which a relationship conflict negatively affects the relationship between task conflict and GDM:
1. A relationship conflict causes rigidity: Frictions, negative emotions, or antipathy towards others leads to certain reactions in a debate that are likely to spill over to other group members. The flexible, open-minded attitude in debates becomes more rigid and closed as a result and the willingness to accord to opinions of other group members is reduced. Rather people will rigidly hold their initial opinions.
2. A relationship conflict creates processing information biases: In healthy decision-making processes, group members use their own information as well as information they can obtain from other team members. However, if relationship conflicts are present group members often decide to only use their own information when making decisions.
Both of these possibilities are hard to measure. However, the study of de Wit argues that in assessing the relationship between task conflicts and GDM it is important to take other factors into account that indirectly affect this relationship.
Source: de Wit, F. R., Jehn, K. A., and Scheepers, D. (2013). Task conflict, information processing, and decision-making: The damaging effect of relationship conflict. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 122(2), 177-189.

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		4 Jaap de Jonge Editor, Netherlands
	How to Benefit from Conflicts in Group Decision Making? I believe Bono's 6 Thinking Hats (6TH) might be quite useful to benefit from task conflicts and avoid emotional ones while analyzing problems in a group. Because in the 6TH approach all group members are simultaneously wearing the same 'hat' to look at a problem or situation. And they collectively switch to another hat/perspective. This procedure is likely to bring task-conflicts into the open. And it decreases the influence of any relational conflict between certain participants, because we're all on the same page and explore options together. By the way, another approach to decrease the influence of emotional conflicts in a group might be the Ritual Dissent approach.

		5 Paramathmuni srinivas Kumar India
	Quality of Decision Making Depends on the Intent of the Individuals in the Group I believe the quality of the decision making depends on the intent of the people working in the group. If the intent of the members is good, then even though the views may differ, the quality of the decision will be of the highest order.

		1 Ben Smith Manager, United Kingdom
	How to Measure Relationship Conflict? It must be difficult to measure the presence/absence of relationship conflict in studies of GDM as these are often masked over in the business world. Do you know how de Wit identified this? Or how it could be measured?

		0 Ruwan Bandara Manager, Sri Lanka
	Conflict can be a Source of Inspiration Conflicts motivate us to think in an extraordinary way. For example in the 1970s and 1980s during the cold war between USA and Soviet Russia. The Internet and the first man on the moon can be considered the results of that fight. In the same way, if leaders can position a conflict strategically they can build competitive advantage on that conflict while investing in conflict intellectual capital.

		3 Leena Bissoonauth Student (University), Mauritius
	How Relationship Conflict can Be Reduced for Better Decision Making Low levels of conflict in a group may improve the quality and creativity of decision making, but this effect vanishes when the conflict intensifies, because intense conflicts distract people because of their emotions. Task and relationship conflict are often correlated. Disagreement on a task issue can lead to personal attacks. Relationship conflict often lead to increased task conflicts because of the negative emotions created. When there is trust, task-related conflict is less likely to lead to relationship conflicts and therefore members can tolerate task related conflict and use the conflict productively. Therefore to use conflict constructively, one needs to cultivate an environment that is open and tolerant of diverse viewpoints, where team members feel free to express their opinions and have the ability to resist pressure to conform to the group. There must be cooperative work relationship so that disagreements are not misinterpreted as personal attacks.

		1 DANNY SUSIKWANA Accountant, Zambia
	Group Bonding and Tenure is Important Relationship conflicts may help enhance GDM. However this does not apply to all kinds of groups. Groups which benefit from relationship conflicts include those who have bonded due to having worked together over a fairly long time. This is because such groups have had the opportunity to see the outcomes of previous decisions made by the group and have bonded well enough to know the decision-making flair of each group member. The tendency of conflicts for such groups would be reflective on how certain conflict positions taken in the past were proven either right or wrong by the results. Leadership from those with greater DM flair in the group eventually emerges as others recognize them. The tendency for such groups is not to continue with conflicts but to be harmonious in the long run. Conflict is only important in the initial stages and may be sustained by changing group members in order to keep some conflict which will preserve creativity in the group.

		3 Purna Chandra Business Consultant, India
	The 3rd Alternative in Conflicts: 'Our Way' The topic reminds me of the concept in the book "The 3rd Alternative" by Stephen Covey. Obvious enough, "Our Way" is superior to "My Way" or "Your Way"; however, it requires immense maturity and humi...

		1 Victor Manuel Monteiro Seco Entrepreneur, Portugal
	Our Way, Because we are not Alone @Purna Chandra: Indeed. we have no conflicts alone. So we must learn each other how to stop with our ambitious and egotistic positions. Conflicts are very important for organizational growth if we use...

		0 Willie Odemwingie, Nigeria
	Conflicts in GDM People that make up a group are usually from different backgrounds. They may be from different discipline, family, culture and have other inherent traits. So there is bound to be conflict. Some organi...

		0 Satya Narayan Strategy Consultant, India
	How to Benefit from Group Decision Making? 1. First the organisation needs to ensure conflicts do not arise from relationships. Implementation and maintenance of well defined processes, job descriptions, responsibility/authority matrix will en...

		1 kvssiyer Consultant, India
	Selfless Group Decision Making Group Decision Making with cross functional team members always leads to a purposeful, actionable team with creation of added value, provided the group members are selfless and independent in conflict...

		1 Gary Wong Consultant, Canada
	Applying the Six Thinking Hats Method to Group Conflict As this is the 6TH forum, has any contributor applied 6TH to deal with conflict? I handle potential conflict by getting everyone to put on the same Hat and then do parallel thinking rather than arguin...

		2 Gary Wong Consultant, Canada
	Six Thinking Hats and the Covey's 3rd Alternative: 'Our Way' @Purna Chandra: Great observation! As a Franklin Covey certified trainer, here's how I incorporate Six Thinking Hats into the 3rd Alternative process. Habit 4: Think Win-Win means willing to wear the...

		1 Ken Sylvester, United States
	Most Important in GDM: Dealing with Self-Interest. What Conflict Models can Resolve that? I remain a constant learner as regards conflict. My professional background as negotiator in 23 countries causes me to ask more questions than offer statements. One question asked of those reading th...

		0 Paramathmuni srinivas Kumar India
	GDM Outcome Depends on 23 Aspects of Human System There is a relationship between the outcome (and execution) of the decision making and 23 aspects of the human system (sleep, hunger, reflection, craving etc.). If the above aspects are given due resp...

		1 NVDS.RAJU Professor, India
	Group Conflict Management Group conflicts on matters of importance is a welcome and healthy sign. Perhaps it will facilitate the entity to know the unknown risks and help to hedge against them. Conflicting views are common in...

		1 Tan Poh Lip, Malaysia
	The Emotional Bank Account (EBA) versus Conflicts For me, conflict is happening everywhere in our personal and working life. Conflicts are a source of inspiration and encourage different ideas to keep our personal and working life in a continuing cre...

		1 Ruwan Bandara Manager, Sri Lanka
	How to Benefit from Conflicts in a Group I was delighted the different perspective post of all of us. This discussion forum is a great and classic example of conflict. Each of us has a unique way of thinking. We post different ideas to this ...

		0 DANNY SUSIKWANA Accountant, Zambia
	23 Aspects of the Human System @srinivas: I find the reference to the 23 aspects (sleep, hunger, etc) a very insightful area. However I am not sure of what they are, except the 4 you already mentioned? Kindly educate me on these a...

		1 Paramathmuni srinivas Kumar India
	ASPECTS IN HUMAN SYSTEM Please find here the requested list of human aspects which we can look into. I think experiential based approach can be considered for the following: Each and every person has the following aspects w...

		3 Gary Wong Consultant, Canada
	The Emotional Bank Account and 6TH @Tan Poh Lip: The Emotional Bank Account (EBA) is a metaphor for measuring the level of Trust in a relationship. The idea is to make deposits into the EBA to build the balance and avoid withdrawals wh...

		1 kvssiyer Consultant, India
	The Purpose of Group Decision Making The very purpose of group decision making is to make certain the decision arrived at is the result of evaluating the quality of decisions from all angles. In that process the decision becomes actiona...

		0 Paramathmuni srinivas Kumar India
	Role of Impressions in Subconscious Mind in Decision Making I agree @Emotion Bank Account deposits have a role in the group discussion in case of decision making. Also, too many withdrawals that can lead to bankruptcy. However I think there is a role of impre...

		4 melchiorre calabrese, Italy
	Avoiding Emotional Conflicts in Group Decision Making The problem of relationship conflicts must be solved upstream, in the sense that I will explain below. All those who are going to be involved in solving a problem should be chosen taking into account...

		2 Paramathmuni srinivas Kumar India
	Preconceived Notions in Group Decision Making @melchiorre calabrese: I completely agree with you with regard to A, B and C. However in order to achieve the above, the participants should have an almost child like attitude. Being adults, how do w...

		3 melchiorre calabrese, Italy
	Preconceived Notions in Group Decision Making @Srinivas: Thanks for your consideration! Please, think deeply about what I am telling you: A person has really a great mind if, despite having knowledge and practical experience, (s)he is able to ta...

		2 Gary Wong Consultant, Canada
	Revisiting the Purpose of the Six Thinking Hats @Melchiorre calabrese, srinivas: I appreciate your thought provoking comments. Permit me revisit why the Edward de Bono created 6TH in the first place. Through his travels Dr. De Bono discovered tha...

		1 Ruwan Bandara Manager, Sri Lanka
	Black & White Hat Together @Gary Wong: This idea is not wrong. Using Six Hats in this situation is a great idea. Why most managers are failing is due to the fact that they not know the art & science of using the Black and White...

		2 Gary Wong Consultant, Canada
	Colours Can Have Different Meanings Hi, everyone. Ruwan and I have been messaging each other on our personal pages. A couple of points have arisen: 1. 6Th works well for GDM ranging from strategic to operational. What will be different...

		0 Paramathmuni srinivas Kumar India
	Conflict Resolution at the Level of Consciousness in Decision Making in Groups I'd like to enhance and clarify my earlier @reaction a bit:Thought conflict arises first internally in the minds of people at the level of sub consciousness, because of the past impressions which are ...