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  • 1.  How can we diminish internal turf battles and the harm they cause?

    Posted 05-03-2024 03:21 PM

    Annete Simmons once described turf battles as, "What's mine is mine, what's yours is questionable." Sometimes defined as internal competition over an area of business or resources, turf battles damage work relationships and reduce an organization's effectiveness.

    What strategies have you seen used to overcome these situations? How successful were they?



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    William McAnally Ph.D., P.E., BC.CE, BC.NE, F.ASCE
    ENGINEER
    Columbus MS
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  • 2.  RE: How can we diminish internal turf battles and the harm they cause?

    Posted 05-07-2024 02:27 PM

    Turf battles are extremely frustrating situations. My most successful strategy is finding a value proposition for cooperation that appeals to the counterparty. The counterparty, often operating under a scarcity mentality, needs to see that they will come out ahead, financially, reputationally, etc, by cooperating. Another strategy is to help the counterparty see that they risk being marginalized or sidelined if the counterparty refuses to cooperate. However, finding a win-win is always the better approach and outcome.



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    Mitch Winkler P.E.(inactive), M.ASCE
    Houston, TX
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: How can we diminish internal turf battles and the harm they cause?

    Posted 05-14-2024 10:11 AM

    Thanks, Mitch. Those are useful ideas.



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    William McAnally Ph.D., P.E., BC.CE, BC.NE, F.ASCE
    ENGINEER
    Columbus MS
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: How can we diminish internal turf battles and the harm they cause?

    Posted 30 days ago

    Thanks William, Mitch, for the comments.

    • If I may:

    Just like in a family,

    the "kids" watch and listen to their "parents."

    What they tend to imitate is what they see done, not what is advised or said.

    No difference in our orgs.

    Until those in the C-suite change why, what, and how they behave,

    others will simply continue doing what they see their leadership/exec mgrs. do.

    Cheers,

    Bill



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    William M. Hayden Jr., Ph.D., P.E., CMQ/OE, F.ASCE
    Buffalo, N.Y.

    "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -- George Eliot 1819 - 1880
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: How can we diminish internal turf battles and the harm they cause?

    Posted 24 days ago

    Excellent point, Bill. The organization where I saw the worst internal turf battles was one in which the leadership practiced turf encroachment the most. It infected everyone.



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    William McAnally Ph.D., P.E., BC.CE, BC.NE, F.ASCE
    ENGINEER
    Columbus MS
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: How can we diminish internal turf battles and the harm they cause?

    Posted 21 days ago

    It's an important topic of practical interest – and many earlier threads and discussion posts on this Forum have materials relevant to this topic.

    • I like to add a little to what Mitch has discussed: . . . finding a value proposition . . . the counterparty . . . scarcity mentality . . . by cooperating . . . finding a win-win . . . Indeed, the value proposition is the key to finding a win-win strategy. If that can be found and achieved – then one say that the subject ↔ object, causes ↔ conditions are aligned for greater good.

    • The problem lies with going in that direction – because more often than not, there is an attitude to prevail at any cost – at the cost of someone else. This attitude, societal in nature. is not limited to one profession – rather one can characterize it as something ubiquitous – though, differing in extents somewhat. The associated factors resulting from this attitude permeate to individuals – to all of us consciously and unconsciously. Among these factors – worshiping the winner and hating the looser – is the most prevalent behavioral stance that sows the harmful seed of discord.

    • In sports commentators' narratives, we constantly hear 'winner', 'looser', 'lucky looser' etc. Same are with movies. These popular mass-media outfits do promote such confrontational rendition – with abandon, as if they are norm. I always wonder what goes into the minds of these media people. Do they ever realize, how bad the influences can be? Or is it that they do not see any obligation to uphold social responsibility (highlighted in Industrialization)? The bad influences – in the guise of aggressive behaviors – are not far-flung to see. We see examples of them – in particular, among young people. One can imagine – how damaging the effects can be on young minds – in their formative years.

    • In such prevalent scenarios – the win-win initiatives may face uphill battle to success. This does not mean – individually one should not try to make a difference. But, institutions/organizations of all sorts – from educational, regulatory, governance to businesses – having the power to make changes across the board – shoulder the greater responsibilities to create what are needed for greater good.

    • All these lead us to revisit the nature and rationality of social foundations as outlined in Social Order: mendacity versus honesty – secrecy versus transparency – authoritarianism versus democracy – exclusion versus inclusion – prejudice versus equity – freedom versus restriction – hypocrisy versus sincerity – hatred versus love and respect.

    Dilip

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    Dr. Dilip K Barua, Ph.D

    Website Links and Profile


    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: How can we diminish internal turf battles and the harm they cause?

    Posted 16 days ago

    I often find that the two parties aren't working off the same set of parameters or understanding of the issue/problem.

    As the Engineering Manager, I always review the two arguments myself and determine what the differences are. 

    1.      Do they understand the scope of work?

    2.      Are they both meeting the requirements/criteria/codes/standards that have been set out for the scope of work?

    3.      What are their assumptions?

    a.      Do the assumptions bound the problem/issue presented in the scope of work? 

    b.      Are the assumptions reasonable?

    4.      What are the fundamental differences in the parameters used in their determinations?

    a.      Validate parameters used in the evaluations.

    5.      What is the difference in technical approach?

    a.      Are these approaches valid?

    I always want to know that the basics are correct/reasonable (points 1 through 4). I don't accept compromise as an acceptable management method in engineering or managing technical conflict when these items are potentially compromised.

    Can there be alternative approaches that meet technical veracity? Absolutely. This is where it is very difficult to find consensus amongst the parties. This is where ego can play a role in coming to a common approach that meets the needs of the evaluation.

    As long as these discussions stay professional where personal attacks are not permitted, then a solution should be achievable.

    If the same problems arise with the same individuals on a constant basis, i.e., a turf war, then this is a personnel problem that must be dealt with.



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    Christine Linden P.E., M.ASCE
    Engineering Division Manager
    Frontier-Kemper Constructors, Inc.
    Evansville IN
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    Original Message


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