Prefab Lab
dealing with disputes in a team

Team disputes: how to restore working relationships

Recently, our partner faced an interesting situation. A project manager and one of the company executives were working together on securing a contract for the factory. Everything was going smoothly: the client accepted the preliminary estimate, installation team reviewed the site, the contract was approved. However, at the last moment, the client declined to place the order, citing personal reasons and promising to return later. Despite this, the order was placed with a competitor.

The team was deeply disappointed. The manager and executive started arguing and blaming each other, resulting in several days of silence between them.

We resolved our situation and have compiled some useful tips to help you handle similar challenges.

After an unsuccessful attempt to close a contract, a factory team may face various difficulties. Here are some common issues:

Disruption of internal communications and morale: Mutual blame can worsen communication problems within the team. Failure can lead to frustration and demotivation among team members.

Financial difficulties: Failure to sign a contract can negatively impact the company's financial situation.

Risk of losing key employees: Disappointed employees may start looking for jobs at other companies.

Reputational risks: Repeated failures can damage the company’s market reputation. Clients may lose trust and turn to competitors if they don't consistently see other projects in progress.

Lack of clarity on the reasons for failure: Without a detailed analysis, mistakes may be repeated. If the team does not see a clear future plan, trust in management may decrease.

To overcome these challenges, it’s crucial to conduct an objective analysis of the causes of failure, foster a culture of mutual help and support, and create clear action plans for future projects.

Here are some specific actions that can be taken:

1. Conduct a retrospective:

- Organize a meeting with project participants to analyze the reasons for the failure.

- Identify key problems and weaknesses in the work process.

2. Focus on facts, not blame:

- Encourage the team to concentrate on objective data and facts instead of assigning blame.

- Use methods like "five whys" or Ishikawa diagrams to analyze root causes.

3. Improve communication:

- Establish clear and regular communication channels within the team.

- Introduce weekly or daily meetings to share information and address issues.

4. Train and develop staff:

- Organize training sessions and workshops to improve employee skills.

- Encourage knowledge and experience sharing within the team.

5. Implement standards and processes:

- Develop and implement standards and processes for all project stages.

- Ensure all team members understand and follow these standards.

6. Monitor and assess risks:

- Create a risk monitoring and management system.

- Regularly evaluate potential risks and develop plans to minimize them.

7. Encourage openness and trust:

- Foster an environment where employees can openly express their opinions and propose ideas.

- Encourage constructive criticism and mutual support.

8. Set clear goals and expectations:

- Define specific goals and expectations for each team member.

- Ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.

9. Get feedback from clients:

- Analyze client feedback to identify reasons for refusal.

- Make necessary changes to the work process based on this information.

10. Develop an action plan for the future:

- Create a clear action plan for future projects based on the lessons learned.

- Implement control and evaluation mechanisms to ensure the plan is followed.

These actions will help improve team performance, enhance project efficiency, and prevent the recurrence of mistakes in the future.