Question

if a manager determines that a structural intervention is needed to reduce friction within a team, what does she plan to do?

a.) she plans to reorganize the team to improve collaboration and efficiency.
b.) she plans to implement strict rules and regulations to control team behavior.
c.) she plans to decrease the teams workload so they are not under as much pressure.
d.) she plans to identify and assign blame for the friction.

Explanation:

Define structural intervention

Using the Conflict Resolution Styles knowledge point
A structural intervention in team conflict management focuses on changing the underlying design, reporting relationships, task assignments, or organization of the team to resolve friction, rather than focusing on individual behaviors or workloads.

Evaluate the given options

• Option a: Reorganizing the team directly alters the team's structure to improve collaboration and efficiency, which is a classic structural intervention.
• Option b: Implementing strict rules and regulations is a behavioral or administrative control intervention, not structural.
• Option c: Decreasing workload is a resource adjustment, not a structural redesign.
• Option d: Assigning blame is a punitive action and does not address structural issues.

Select the correct option

Reorganizing the team to improve collaboration and efficiency is the correct action representing a structural intervention.

Answer:

• a.) She plans to reorganize the team to improve collaboration and efficiency. (Correct answer)
• b.) She plans to implement strict rules and regulations to control team behavior.
• c.) She plans to decrease the team's workload so they are not under as much pressure.
• d.) She plans to identify and assign blame for the friction.