Process Conflict
Process conflict refers to disagreements about how work should be done, including issues around responsibilities, resource allocation, and procedures.
Process conflict, also known as procedural conflict, can arise when there are disagreements within the team about how work should be carried out. Process conflict often emerges during the planning and coordination phases of a project, when team members are trying to establish roles, responsibilities, and workflows. Disagreements about "who does what" and "how things should be delegated" can lead to process conflict.
Unlike relationship conflict, which stems from interpersonal incompatibility, process conflict is focused on the logistics of accomplishing the team's tasks. Unlike task conflict, which is about the content or substance of the team's work, process conflict is about the path to task accomplishment.
According to organizational research, teams experiencing this type of conflict frequently report:
- Frustration regarding the sequence of steps required to progress a project
- Disagreements regarding how the budget, time, or equipment is being distributed
- Ambiguity in roles leading team members to be unsure about who has the final say on a decision
Early process conflict, such as disagreements about responsibilities, resource allocation, and procedures, can be detrimental to group performance if not resolved quickly. To address this, it would be helpful to have an open discussion early on to clarify roles, responsibilities, and processes within the team. This can help resolve process conflicts before they escalate and negatively impact the team's performance.
Here are a few "signpost" remarks--when these pop up, it's likely that process conflict is occurring.
- "I don't think that's the most efficient way to attempt this task. Let's discuss a better method."
- "Who is responsible for that part of the project? I'm not clear on who's assigned to what."
- "I have a different opinion on the best approach for this task."
Behfar, K. J., Mannix, E. A., Peterson, R. S., & Trochim, W. M. (2010). Conflict in Small Groups: The Meaning and Consequences of Process Conflict. Small Group Research, 42(2), 127-176. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046496410389194
Goncalo, J. A., Polman, E., & Maslach, C. (2010). Can confidence come too soon? Collective efficacy, conflict and group performance over time. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 113(1), 13-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2010.05.001
Huerta, M. V., Sajadi, S., Schibelius, L., Ryan, O. J., & Fisher, M. (2024). An exploration of psychological safety and conflict in first-year engineering student teams. Journal of Engineering Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20608
Vigil-King, D. C. (1999) Team Conflict, Integrative Conflict-Management Strategies, and Team Effectiveness: A Field Study. PhD diss., University of Tennessee