Personality Clashes

What is personality?
Each individual can be said to have their own distinct mix of
attributes and beliefs that make up their personality. It is a unique
combination of thoughts, emotions and behaviors that are formed
based on our childhood interactions, experiences and the
environment we were exposed to (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013). On a
deeper level, the psychological traits and attitudes you possess
have developed based on the type of parenting you grew up with
and the relationships that were formed with immediate family
members along with other cultural and situational factors.
Why is personality an important factor?
Personality is a vital factor to consider with regards to management
as the type of personality we possess relates to our style of
leadership and directly affects the way we interact with others in the
workplace. It plays a key role in the way we might approach
stressful situations and the success of the team or unit that needs to
be managed.
What is a personality clash?
Personality clashes occur when two or more people find themselves
in conflict over a certain issue, decision or incident. It is usually to
such an extent that a stalemate may have been reached and each
party sees the other as an opposition or threat that challenges some
deeply held value or belief(CBS News, 2007). Fewer personality
clashes means improved teamwork, consensus seeking, problem
solving and decision making in the workplace.
It is clear from our video that Girl 1 has a personality that can be
described as stubborn, self-centered, opinionated and feisty while
Girl 2 is meek and soft-spoken.
Causes:
Opposing values: Each individual sees the world and situations in a
different light to others. Some employees are firmly cemented in
their system of beliefs and are not willing to compromise them.
These beliefs can clash with other coworkers causing tension if there
is no understanding and acceptance of these differences. In the clip
it is evident that Girl 2 values community development and charity
outreach while Girl 1 does not.
Different Interests: Some employees disregard the vision of the
team and are more concerned with fighting for their own personal

objectives rather than focusing on the goals and well being of the
unit. The vision of Girl 1 differs greatly to that of the rest of the
team, as she is clearly interested in profits alone. This contradicts
the ideas of the rest of the team as well as the manager.
Poor communication: Most people have different communication
styles. Lack of proper communication leads to disagreement and
misunderstanding amongst employees or between employee and
manager. This carrying of misinformation can lead to projects or
tasks handled in the wrong manner and employees blaming and
arguing with one another over the mistakes.
Personal Issues: Some employees may be experiencing certain
problems outside of the workplace (e.g. Financial, marital) and may
be carrying some of the burden and frustration into the working
environment. This can cause an employee to seem morose, sullen
or ill tempered. This can result in coworkers feeling as if this is
targeted at them as they may not understand the employees
personal situation and could result in tension amongst the group.
Consequences:
Stress: Personality clashes can cause a great deal of strife and
uneasiness within the environment. It causes employees to be
anxious and tense and usually employees avoid each other so as to
prevent uncomfortable situations. In the long-term, this can take its
toll both mentally and physically, even resulting in employees
leaving their jobs in severe cases as seen in the recording.
Lower productivity: Conflict amongst members of the group can
have direct and dire consequences on their tasks and projects.
Tension reduces the effectiveness and cooperation of the unit, which
has an effect of the success of the team. Members are not able to
function with each other as the clash may overshadow the
objectives of the team causing them to lose focus. When the morale
of the team is affected, projects and goals are jeopardized.
Conflict Resolution:
Identify the source: It is imperative that the issue is dealt with
immediately. It is better to openly acknowledge the difference of
opinion, to tackle it head on and not to brush it over (American
Management Association, 2014). It should be investigated if the root
of the conflict is a simple disagreement over the current task or if
there is a deeper, more pressing issue at hand. In this way it is
realized if the conflict should be handled face to face or if it should
be addressed by other means such as a private meeting. We see in
the video that the conflict was not addressed from the start and

instead was allowed to elevate to such an extent that the team

disintegrated.
Take it to management: In some cases it may be necessary to
involve an impartial mediator that would be able to handle the
situation by viewing the dilemma from both angles.
Human
resources advisors and higher management should undergo training
and workshops to know how to deal with these situations should
they arise. Managers might have to separate employees and assign
them to different units and even cease employment in severe
circumstances.
Maintain professionalism: Sarcasm, belittling comments and rage
only aggravate already tense situations so it is important to remain
calm and courteous at all times (Schurman, 2015). Confrontation
can often be avoided if differences are respected and
acknowledged. Take note of the words you may use and the tone
you speak with so tempers do not get out of control. From the video
we see how Girl 1s abrasive and harsh nature causes an
uncomfortable environment that makes it difficult to work in
cooperatively.
Find a reasonable compromise: A common technique to resolve
conflict is finding middle ground between the two parties. View the
opinion of the other person empathetically and with an open mind
and use this conflict to strengthen the team by making it a
collaborative task to find alternatives that might please all parties.
In the video recording we see how no alternatives were explored
that could have been acceptable to both Girl 1 and Girl 2.
Group therapy sessions: Allowing individuals to voice their concerns
and issues in a calm and controlled environment can often be a
healthy way of letting each person know exactly what the problems
are and how they may have contributed to it. Individuals gain
insight to the problem and can thereafter explore ways to overcome
the conflict together.

Mayo Clinic Staff, Antisocial Personality Disorder, 2013. Available

from:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/antisocialpersonality-disorder/basics/causes/con-20027920. [18 March 2015].
CBS News, Working Around Personality Clashes, 11 October 2007.
Available
from:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/working-aroundpersonality-clashes/ . [16 March 2015].
American Management Association, the Five steps to Conflict
Resolution,
16
April
2014.
Available
from:
<

http://www.amanet.org/training/articles/The-Five-Steps-to-ConflictResolution.aspx . [17 March 2015].

Schurman, A, Dealing With Personailty Conflicts at Work, 2015.
Available
from:
http://www.life123.com/relationships/friendship/office-etiquettefriends/dealing-with-personality-conflicts-at-work.shtml. [18 March
2015].