One-Day Rule

What it is

The one-day rule supports quick resolution to one-on-one conflict and helps resolve discord by dealing with the disagreement directly and professionally.

Why it’s useful

The step-by-step process guides team members to resolve conflict quickly and efficiently. The process allows involved parties time to cool down from then initial conflict while also supporting the notion that the quicker the conflict is resolved, the faster the team can refocus on the work to be done.

How to use it

Under the one-day rule, all team members accept there will be conflict at some point during the team’s tenure. Team members agree to address one-on-one conflict within one day of the initial clash.

Steps

1.  Recognize you had some part in the situation and reflect upon your part.

2.  Within one day of the disagreement, contact the person who has upset you and request a convenient time to talk.

3.  Acknowledge the disagreement and express your desire to address it, resolve it, and move on

4.  Make a good faith effort to understand, accept, and validate the other person’s viewpoint.

5.  Ask, “What do we need to do to put this behind us?” Agree to not hold a grudge or to use the incident to leverage any future disagreement.

6.  If the conflict occurred in a team setting, inform team members of the resolution so as not to distract or impede the team’s forward momentum.

7.  Put the incident behind you and move on, focusing on the project needs.

Tips

·  Listen closely and try to understand each others’ position.

·  Own your involvement in the conflict, regardless of who initiated the dispute.

·  Consider personal differences, some feel uncomfortable with direct confrontation.

·  Adopt the one-day rule as the team’s conflict resolution strategy during the Rules of Engagement exercise.

·  Keep the conflict between you and the other party.

·  If unable to reach a resolution, seek intervention from the team leader or an outside facilitator.

Copyright © 2010 by Management Concepts, Inc. All rights reserved. This material appears in Project Team Dynamics: Enhancing Performance, Improving Results, by Lisa DiTullio (Vienna, VA: Management Concepts, 2010). For more resources from the author, see also www.yourprojectoffice.com.