HEAD FOR SUCCESS
BUSINESS STUDIES – GRADE 12
TERM 2
TOPIC 3: TEAM PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENT, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND
PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
INTRODUCTION:
 A team is a group of people who work together to
achieve a common goal.
 Businesses are made up of teams, for example a
management team, quality circles, financial team
and production team.
 Hence, in one way or another, all employees form
part of a team.
 Businesses will not be able to achieve their goals if
employees fail to work together in teams.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
STAGES OF TEAM PERFORMANCE:
Experts believe that a team will only be able to grow and perform if it moves through all
four phases of team development.
 The four phases of team development are:
Forming
Storming
• Team members are actively engaged in the tasks at hand.
• Team members are starting to reveal their true character and they are
starting to analyse and criticise ideas of other team members.
• This phase is often characterised by conflict.
• Team members are settling down.
• Team members are starting to accept and trust one another.
• During this stage, team members often set ground rules to govern their
behaviour and to ensure that completion of the project runs smoothly.
Performing
• Team members focus on getting to know one another and on making new
friends.
• Team members demonstrate good behaviour, as they are still new to the
situation.
Norming
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• The team has dealt with all conflict and is now actively pursuing its goals.
• Team members are motivated and are working together well.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Team dynamics refers to the way in which team members
work together.
 Team dynamics experts have researched thousands of
teams and have come up with factors that influence team
dynamics.
 These theories have been dealt with in Grade 11, but let’s
quickly revise the most important points of each of these
team dynamics theories.
STEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Belbin role theory:
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According to Dr Meredith Belbin, people in teams tend to assume
different team roles.
Dr Belbin identified nine team roles and categorised those roles into
three groups:
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Peopleorientated
roles
Actionorientated
roles
 Belbin role theory:
Shapers
Implementers
Implementers are people who get things done.
Completerfinishers
Completer-finishers are responsible for ensuring that
projects are completed thoroughly.
Coordinator
Coordinators are team leaders.
Team worker
Team workers are responsible for ensuring that team
members work together.
Resource
investigator
Resource investigators are responsible for exploring
alternative options, networking and negotiating
resources on behalf of their team.
Plant
Thoughtorientated
roles
Shapers challenge a team to improve.
Plants are usually introverted, creative innovators,
who struggle to deal with criticism.
Monitorevaluator
Monitor-evaluators are analytical, strategic and
unemotional.
Specialist
Specialists possess specialised knowledge that is
required to complete a job.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Jungian theory:
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Carl Jung was a psychologist who believed and emphasised the
importance of finding balance and harmony in one’s life.
According to Jung, most people tend to adopt one of two attitudes
towards life:
Extroverted attitude
• Motivated by outside factors.
• Sociable and comfortable in
unfamiliar situations.
• Optimistic and enthusiastic.
• Establish and break off new
relationships easily.
• Struggle to reflect on their behaviour.
Introverted attitude
• Happy to be on their own.
• Not comfortable being among
strangers or large groups.
• Often lacking in self-confidence.
• Shy and hesitant to get to know
strangers.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Management Team Roles Indicator (MTR-I) approach:
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According to the MTR-I approach, different teams need to
demonstrate different behaviours in order to succeed.
MTR-I investigates roles people assume in a work situation and is
designed to show the contribution made by each team member.
MTR-I team roles can differ from one situation to another,
depending on the pressures of a particular working environment.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Management Team Roles Indicator (MTR-I) approach:
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The different team roles according to the MTR-I approach are:
Innovator
Sculptor
Conductor
Scientist
Coach
Curator
Innovators use their imagination to create new ideas and
solutions.
Sculptors want to get things done urgently.
Conductors are good at organising.
Scientists are good at providing explanations for why and how
things happen.
Coaches try to create harmony in the team.
Curators are good at creating a clear picture of a particular
situation.
Crusader
Crusaders give importance to ideas and thoughts.
Explorer
Explorers aim to find better and more efficient solutions to
problems.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Margerison-McCann profiles:
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The Margerison-McCann Team Management Profile explains
how people’s preferences influence their approach to their jobs
and performance as team members.
The Team Management Wheel forms the basis of the profile.
The Team Management Wheel identifies critical success
factors at work.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Margerison-McCann profiles:
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According to Margerison’s and McCann’s Types of work model, nine
essential team activities can be described:
Advising
Gathering and reporting information.
Innovating
Creating and experimenting with ideas.
Promoting
Exploring and presenting opportunities.
Developing
Assessing and testing the applicability of new
approaches.
Organising
Establishing and implementing ways of making
things work.
Producing
Concluding and delivering outputs.
Inspecting
Controlling and auditing the functioning of systems.
Maintaining Upholding and safeguarding standards and processes.
Linking
Coordinating and integrating the work of others.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Margerison-McCann profiles:
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However, people tend to prefer some activities over other activities.
The Margerison-McCann profiles measure these work preferences in
three different ways:
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preferences for extroverted or introverted work.
preferences for practical or creative work.
preferences for working in a structured or flexible way.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Group consensus:
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A group can only perform if group members agree on the goal of the
group.
When group members work together they need to make several
decisions.
Group consensus is a process that guides groups through this
decision making process and helps groups to reach a decision.
The group consensus process works as follows:
Graphic_groups consensus.docx
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TEAM DYNAMICS THEORIES:
 Group consensus:
 The group consensus process:
Step 1
• Group members discuss the issue at hand with each other.
• Group members raise their feelings about the issue during this stage.
Step 2
• A proposal is made based on the group’s discussion.
Step 3
• The group’s facilitator now calls for consensus.
• This means that the facilitator asks the group if they are willing to
accept the proposal.
Step 4
• If the group agrees to accept the proposal, then consensus has been
reached.
Step 5
• If the group is not willing to accept a proposal, concerns are raised and
discussed.
Step 6
• Group members suggest a new proposal.
Step 7
• The facilitator calls for consensus again.
• If the group accepts the proposal, then consensus is reached.
• If the group rejects the proposal, it needs to be modified until the group
reaches a point where all group members can accept the proposal.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFUL TEAM PERFORMANCE:
 Successful teams usually display the following
characteristics:
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Team members demonstrate mutual respect and trust.
Team members support one another.
Efforts of team members are aimed at benefitting the team as a
whole and not an individual.
Team members know and do what is required of them.
Successful teams are goal oriented.
Team members are skilled.
Team members display positive attitudes and are committed to the
team.
Team members know how to communicate with one another.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
 Teams are made up of team members.
 A team’s performance is reflected in the individual
efforts of team members.
 Therefore, team assessment has two components:
Selfassessment
• Team members review their own contributions to the team
to identify areas for improvement.
• Self-assessment creates awareness among team members
of areas they need to develop and improve.
Team
performance
assessment
• The performance of a team is reviewed to determine
whether a team reached its desired goal.
• Team performance assessment is sometimes performed by
a manager or person who is not a team member, as well as
by team members.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
 Self-assessment:
Team members review their individual contributions to the team against team criteria:
Interpersonal
attitudes and
behaviour
• Interpersonal attitude refers to a person’s outlook on life.
• Interpersonal attitude can be positive or negative.
• Each team member determines the extent to which
his/her attitude and behaviour contributed to the team’s
success.
• Examples of a positive attitude:
 Putting he interest of the team first.
 Treating team members with respect, even when there is
disagreement
• Examples of a negative attitude:
 Tantrums
 Team members who refuse to accept majority decisions.
 Team members who refuse to communicate about
misunderstandings.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
 Self-assessment:
Team members review their individual contributions to the team against team criteria:
Shared values
• Each team member determines the extent to which
he/she shared the values of the team.
• A team’s values are separated from individual values.
• Examples of team values include:
 Hard work
 Commitment to the team
 Mutual respect for team members
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
 Self-assessment:
Team members review their individual contributions to the team against team criteria:
• Each team member determines his/her ability to
Communication
communicate clearly.
• Clear communication involves sending out a clear message
and being able to understand a message form other team
members.
• Effective communication reduces misunderstandings.
• Behaviour that hampers effective communication include:
 Sarcasm
 Gossiping
 Inability to convey to other people what you really mean
Support
•
Each team member determines the extent to which he/she
supported other team members and team goals.
Commitment
•
Each team member determines the extent to which he/she
was committed to the team.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
 Team performance assessment:
 The criteria for team performance assessment differ from the
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criteria for self-assessment.
Team performance assessment aims to determine whether a
team achieved the goal it set out to achieve.
Self-assessment emphasises the attitudes of team members,
whereas team performance assessment emphasises the
performance of the team.
There is not one particular set of team performance criteria.
Different criteria can be used for different teams.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
 Team performance assessment:
 Steps in team performance assessment include:
1. Develop a set of criteria against which the team’s performance will be
measured.
2. The team is assessed by each team member, by the team itself and by the
relevant manager.
3. Identify areas for improvement.
4. Devise a strategy to avoid repeating similar mistakes in the future.
5. If necessary, individuals who failed to work as team members can be removed
form the team.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
 Team performance assessment:
 Examples of team performance assessment criteria:
Interpersonal
attitudes and
behaviour
include:
• The team assesses how interpersonal attitudes and
behaviour of team members contributed to the team’s
performance.
• Negative attitudes and behaviour, such as prejudice, are
pointed out and discussed.
• Examples:
 Did the team member display a positive attitude?
 Did the team member cooperate with the team?
Shared values
• The team assesses the extent to which its values are
shared by its members.
• Teams are successful only if team members work towards
the same goal.
• Examples:
 Were team members supportive of one another?
 Were actions of team members in the interest of the group?
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:
 Team performance assessment:
 Examples of team performance assessment criteria:
Communication
• A team cannot be successful without communication.
• Each team member must have a clear understanding of
his/her role in the team.
• Example:
 Were team members able to communicate without
misunderstandings?
Ability to make
decisions
• Decision making is part of everyday life.
• Decision making can, however, divide a team.
• Ideally, a decision must be looked at from various
perspectives.
• In the end, all group members must agree with a decision
to avoid conflict.
• Examples:
 Was the team able to reach consensus?
 Did the team make the right decisions?
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TEAM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT :
 Team performance assessment:
 Examples of team performance assessment criteria:
Execution
• This criterion determines whether a team achieved its
intended goal.
• Factors to be considered include:
 Whether the task was completed within the given time frame.
 Whether the group stuck to its budget.
Other skills
• Time management skills, e.g. was the team capable of
managing its time efficiently?
• Financial skills, e.g. was the team able to stay within its
budget?
• Creative thinking skills, e.g. what the team able to come
up with creative solutions?
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
HOW TO EFFECTIVELY PERFORM A ROLE WITHIN A TEAM:
 Each team member has a specific role to perform within a team.
 Team roles are assigned according to each team member’s personality, strengths
and weaknesses.
 Teams perform better if team members know what is expected of them.
 Different team roles include:
Leader
• Person appointed to guide and direct the team’s efforts
towards its intended goal.
Motivator
• Person who keeps team members motivated.
Contributor • Team members who work hard and achieve outputs.
• Contributors are the heart of a team.
• Ideally, team members will all be contributors
Consultant
• People such as coaches and mentors.
• Consultants are not team members, yet they make meaningful
contributions to teams.
Time keeper • Person appointed to make sure tasks are completed within the
given time frame.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TYPES OF TEAMS:
Project teams
• Also known as problem-solving or task teams.
• Temporary teams; goal is to solve a particular
problem or work on a particular project.
Cross functional
teams
• Address intricate problems.
• Employees work on the same level, but are drawn
from different business departments.
• Often used to implement change in a business
enterprise.
Problem solving
work teams
• Employees who work in the same department to
achieve the goal of the department, for example a
team who does stocktake.
• Mainly deal with internal problems.
Virtual teams
• Team members are in different locations.
• Communicate with the aid of information and
Communication Technology (ICT).
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
TYPES OF TEAMS:
 Although employees are all part of a team, they are often
required to work individually.
 However, sometimes employees must complete projects as
part of a team, for example working together on a
production line or serving on a committee.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
MANAGING PROBLEMS IN TEAMS:
 Problems arising from working in teams:
 Decision making takes longer.
 Managers argue that team members with negative attitudes are likely to
influence other team members to become negative, not vice versa.
 People who disagree may find it hard to work together.
 Persons who hold opinions that differ from the rest of the team may be
isolated from the team.
 People tend to slack a little if they are not individually accountable for
their work.
 Team members who do not buy into a group’s goals will not be fully
committed to the team’s goals.
 Conflict often arises where people work together, as different people hold
different opinions and have different values.
 Instead of joining people together, team work can drive team members
apart when they cannot agree.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
MANAGING PROBLEMS IN TEAMS:
 Benefits of teamwork:
 The team, as a whole, delivers greater results than the sum of each
team member’s individual effort.
 Teams generate more creative solutions than individuals, because
they build on one another’s ideas.
 Employees have an opportunity to be involved in decision making.
 Self-assessment and team performance assessment motivates
teams to perform well.
 Teams are usually capable of completing tasks quicker than
individuals.
 Team members help to keep each other motivated.
 Teamwork increases employee involvement.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
MANAGING PROBLEMS IN TEAMS:
 Team conflict:
 Conflict refers to a difference or disagreement between employees,
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managers, team members or any other group of people.
Each conflicting party usually has its own ideas and people are
generally hesitant to compromise.
Conflict leads people’s focus away from work and the basic goals of
the team, and impacts negatively on morale and productivity.
Conflict can be both positive and negative because, on the one
hand, it allows people to learn about a problem from different
angles – on the other hand, it can also divide a team.
Conflict can help team members to respect each other’s differences.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
MANAGING PROBLEMS IN TEAMS:
 Team conflict:
a) Reasons for conflict
 Lack of trust among team members.
 Miscommunications that lead to certain expectations, e.g. an employee who is
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expecting a salary increase of 10 % receives an increase of 6 %.
Personality clashes, e.g. people who struggle to work together or to
communicate because their personalities are too different.
Different values, e.g. a team member who does not want to work on a
presentation after hours, because he/she wants to spend time with his/her
family.
Unfair treatment, e.g. when a certain member of staff arrives late or leaves
early it is overlooked, while staff members are reprimanded for the same
transgression.
Discrimination, e.g. a manager who is treating female staff members different
than male staff members.
Insufficient policies.
Unfair disciplinary procedures.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
MANAGING PROBLEMS IN TEAMS:
 Team conflict:
b) Steps in resolving conflict
 It is essential that team members know how to resolve conflict,
because it is almost certain that a team will experience conflict at
some stage.
 Steps to resolve conflict include:
1. Admitting that a conflict between team members exists.
2. Scheduling a meeting between conflicting team members.
3. Identifying the cause of the conflict.
4. Allowing each part to explain the situation from his/her point of view.
5. Explaining how the conflict is affecting work related performance.
6. Talking about the conflict and find a way to resolve the situation.
7. Arranging a follow-up meeting to monitor progress.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
MANAGING PROBLEMS IN TEAMS:
 Team conflict:
c) Possible ways to avoid conflict
 Formulate clear policies regarding acceptable and unacceptable workplace
conduct.
 Ensure all workers have access to these policies.
 Familiarise employees with workplace policies.
 Create fair disciplinary procedures for transgressors.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
MANAGING PROBLEMS IN TEAMS:
 Team conflict:
d) Types
of conflict
 Conflict occurs between different parties in a workplace, for example:
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Colleagues on the same level of management, e.g. conflict between the financial
manager and the marketing manager about the marketing budget.
A manager and a subordinate, e.g. a manager who is not happy with a lazy
employee.
Interpersonal conflict (occurs between individuals), e.g. two colleagues who are
disagreeing over an issue of some sort.
Intra-group conflict (occurs between members of a group), e.g. conflict between
group members who are arguing about the best method to approach a difficult task.
Inter-group conflict (occurs between members of different groups), e.g. conflict
between the financial department and the purchasing department because the
financial department is not paying suppliers on time.
Inter-organisational conflict (occurs between organisations), e.g. conflict between
an enterprise and its supplier.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
DEALING WITH GRIEVANCES:
 A grievance is a conflict of interests between an employer and an
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employee.
It usually takes the form of a complaint laid by an employee when the
employee feels unhappy about a matter relating to the workplace.
Any worker may have concerns or complaints about their work, terms of
employment, working conditions or relationships with colleagues, that
they may want to discuss.
These grievances should be addressed and, if possible, resolved.
Grievances are usually resolved internally.
A dispute is a conflict that cannot be resolved internally, for example
when an employee feels that he/she was unfairly dismissed.
Such matters are then referred to the CCMA or the Labour Court for
mediation and arbitration.
Grievance procedures usually comprise of the following stages:
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
Verbal
complaint
• Usually, the first step is for the employee to mention his/her
problem to the next level of management, for example a
supervisor or team leader.
• The supervisor or team leader then looks into the matter and
makes suggestions on how it can be resolved.
Employee
• If the problem is not addressed, the next step is to lodge a
makes
formal, written complaint with the supervisor.
written
• The employee must give an account o the grievance in a
statement of
written statement to his/her immediate supervisor.
grievance
• The grievance u
• Must be recorded on a formal grievance form.
• The matter is investigated and suggestions are made regarding
the matter.
• If the grievance could not be resolved, the employee lodges a
grievance with the next level of management.
Declaration
of dispute
• Disputes may be refereed in writing, to either a bargaining
council or the CCMA.
• The council or commission must attempt to resolve the
dispute through conciliation and arbitration.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
DEALING WITH GRIEVANCES:
 Grievance procedures are described in the internal
policy of a business enterprise.
 Grievance procedures must be fair.
 Meetings to resolve grievances must meet the
following requirements:
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Schedule a meeting with the employee at a time that is suitable
and agreed upon by both the employer and the employee.
The meeting should be attended by the employee, a trade union
representative, a supervisor and the relevant manager.
Inform the employee of any decision made.
Matters that cannot be resolved internally are referred to the
CCMA for mediation and arbitration.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
DEALING WITH GRIEVANCES :
CCMA
Conciliation
Mediation
• Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
• Main function is to resolve workplace disputes.
• Occurs when the disputing parties get together with a
third, neutral party, called a conciliator.
• The conciliator does not decide who is right or wrong.
• The conciliator merely assists the parties to reach
agreement.
• Can include mediation, fact-finding or the making of
recommendations to the parties.
• A mediator (third, neutral party) assists in resolving a
conflict situation by listening to the conflicting parties and
making suggestions.
• Suggestions made by mediators are not binding.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
DEALING WITH GRIEVANCES :
Arbitration
• Sometimes, grievances are referred to an arbitrator for
arbitration.
• The arbitrator hears both sides of the grievance and then
makes a decision about who is right.
• The arbitrator will issue an arbitration award, which is
binding for both parties.
• There is no appeal against a decision of an arbitrator,
although a review may be possible.
Labour Court
• Has exclusive jurisdiction over most labour matters.
The Labour
Appeal Court
(LAC)
• Parties may apply to the Labour Court for leave to appeal
to the Labour Appeal Court against any final order of the
Labour Court.
• The LAC is the final court of appeal against decisions of
the Labour Court.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE:
 Difficult people have different types of personalities.
 Conflict often arises between people with different
personality types.
 It is difficult to change personal traits, yet people must find
some common traits, like respect and friendliness, when
resolving an issue.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE :
 Psychologists have identified four main personality categories into which
most people can be divided:
Sanguine
Positive
• Sociable, adventurous, flexible, creative, talkative.
• People-oriented.
Negative • Tend to be late, forgetful and quickly lose interest.
Phlegmatic
Positive
• Sympathetic, nurturing, agreeable and easy to get
along with.
Negative • Does not cope well with change.
Choleric
Positive
• Competitive, focused, tough, ambitious.
Negative • Tend to be dominating and aggressive.
• Does not cope well with setbacks.
Melancholic
Positive
• Calm, cautious, creative and sensitive.
Negative • Tend to be shy and are sometimes overly sensitive.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE :
 It is clear that people with different types of personalities may clash, for
example an adventurous sanguine and a cautious melancholic.
 Although different types of personalities may clash, they can also bring
balance to teams.
 Unnecessarily difficult people often hamper a team’s performance.
TEAM PERFORMANCE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
AND PROBLEM SOLVING
DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE :
 Difficult people can be dealt with in the following ways:
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Get to know the person behind the difficult face.
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Ensure equal treatment of all employees.
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Do not give a difficult person or any other person, reason to believe that they are not
being treated equally.
Remove overly difficult people form a team.
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People who lack self-confidence often pretend to be difficult in order to protect
themselves.
Remember, no one knows what other people are going through – a difficult person
may be going through a very tough time.
Difficult people tend to influence the attitudes of other employees.
Difficult people must not be allowed to influence other positive employees in a
negative way.
Be friendly and respectful.
Stay out of a difficult person’s way.