Question 9

Managing member roles would have prevented the conflict.

Mei should have managed member roles effectively to ensure that each team member was assigned tasks that aligned with their expertise. This would have fostered a more collaborative environment and minimized dissatisfaction among team members.

A) Managing member roles

This option is correct because it directly addresses the core issue of the team members being unhappy with their assigned tasks. By managing member roles, Mei could have assessed each team member's strengths and assigned them tasks accordingly, thereby preventing the dissatisfaction that arose from misalignment in skills and responsibilities.

B) Balancing team and member goals

While balancing team and member goals is important, it does not directly address the specific conflict that arose due to improper task assignments. Even if team and member goals were aligned, if the roles were not suited to the members' expertise, the conflict would still persist.

C) Clarifying objectives

Clarifying objectives is crucial for team direction but does not resolve the issue of assigning roles based on expertise. If team members are unclear about their objectives but have appropriate roles, they may still perform effectively, whereas poorly assigned roles can lead to conflict regardless of clarity around objectives.

D) Ensuring the team is supported by the system

This option refers to providing systemic support, which can certainly help a team function better overall. However, it does not specifically tackle the issue of role assignments. Without proper management of member roles, systemic support alone cannot alleviate the conflict stemming from mismatched tasks.

Conclusion

In summary, managing member roles is essential to prevent conflicts like the one Mei faced. This action ensures that team members are engaged and competent in their assigned tasks, which leads to a more harmonious and productive team dynamic. The other options, while important in their own right, do not directly address the root cause of the conflict experienced by the team.