CTL Conflict Resolution & Problem Solving 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A team member openly challenges your decision in front of the group. What is the most effective immediate response?
- Dismiss the challenge and restate your decision firmly
- Acknowledge the concern and offer to discuss it privately after the meeting (Correct answer)
- Ask the group to vote on whose position is correct
- Escalate the issue to senior management immediately
Correct answer: Acknowledge the concern and offer to discuss it privately after the meeting
Acknowledging the concern shows respect while moving the debate to a private setting prevents group disruption.
Question 2: Which conflict resolution style is MOST appropriate when preserving the relationship is more important than winning the immediate dispute?
- Competing
- Avoiding
- Accommodating (Correct answer)
- Forcing
Correct answer: Accommodating
Accommodating prioritizes the relationship by yielding on the issue, which is valuable when long-term rapport outweighs short-term gains.
Question 3: During root cause analysis of a recurring team error, which tool best helps identify all contributing factors systematically?
- SWOT analysis
- Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram (Correct answer)
- Gantt chart
- RACI matrix
Correct answer: Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
A fishbone diagram organizes potential causes into categories, making it easier to identify root causes systematically.
Question 4: Two team members have conflicting work styles causing friction. As a team leader, your FIRST step should be to:
- Reassign them to separate projects immediately
- Meet with each individually to understand their perspectives (Correct answer)
- Issue a written warning to both parties
- Let the conflict resolve itself naturally
Correct answer: Meet with each individually to understand their perspectives
Individual conversations allow each person to express concerns freely before a facilitated joint discussion takes place.
Question 5: The 'interest-based' approach to conflict resolution focuses on:
- Determining which party has legal rights
- Understanding each party's underlying needs and motivations (Correct answer)
- Applying seniority rules to settle disputes
- Dividing contested resources equally between parties
Correct answer: Understanding each party's underlying needs and motivations
Interest-based resolution uncovers the underlying needs driving positions, enabling creative solutions that satisfy both parties.
Question 6: A team is stuck on a problem because members keep proposing the same type of solutions. Which technique would best break this pattern?
- Assign the problem to the most senior team member
- Use reverse brainstorming to identify what would make the problem worse (Correct answer)
- Reduce the number of people working on the problem
- Set a strict deadline to force a decision
Correct answer: Use reverse brainstorming to identify what would make the problem worse
Reverse brainstorming shifts thinking patterns by exploring opposite scenarios, which often surfaces novel solutions when direct approaches stall.
Question 7: When using the Thomas-Kilmann model, which conflict style results in a lose-lose outcome?
- Collaborating
- Compromising
- Avoiding (Correct answer)
- Competing
Correct answer: Avoiding
Avoiding leaves the conflict unresolved, resulting in neither party's needs being met—a lose-lose outcome.
CTL Conflict Resolution & Problem Solving 2
A team member openly challenges your decision in front of the group.
What is the most effective immediate response?