These types of conflicts can threaten the success and productivity of teams. For example, consider two stubborn individuals with aggressive personalities. Getting them to agree and work toward a common goal may be a difficult and time-consuming task.
Team members may also have completely opposite personalities. Some individuals may be very loud and obnoxious while others may be very quiet and passive. This combination of personality types can lead to frustration and unpleasantness. Under such circumstances, the individuals involved may have problems agreeing and making important decisions in a timely manner. Personality conflicts can be a major problem in work teams and can cause a team to completely fail to achieve their desired results.
Teams with a mixture of female and male members can also expect to experience some form of gender conflict during the team relationship. When asked to provide a solution to the same problem, men tend to solve it differently than women. The reason behind this is the fact that men and women process information differently. When a team is aware of these differences, preventing and dealing with these types of conflicts is easier.
Conflicts that arise when team members socialize outside of work or are romantically involved can have an adverse effect on the whole team. This can cause other members to experience jealousy, contempt, or even anger. Some team members may feel that another member is getting special treatment because of his or her relationships. Teams that are self-managed may not see this as a major issue, but in other types of teams this can be a big problem.
Gender conflicts can be settled in the same way as most other conflicts. Addressing the issue with both parties and making it clear to both how everyone feels can be the best approach. Conflicts that arise from a difference of opinion, either same sex or opposite sex can be solved best by examining both sides and agreeing to a compromise.