The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team – Fear of Conflict

Continuing my notes on the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team ~ the second dysfunction is fear of conflict. Teamwork is the key to our success. In our world, we need teams to accomplish anything of significance. 

Very few of us enjoy conflict, but the right kind of conflict is necessary for a team to thrive. As a head of state once said, “If you agree with me all the time, what do I need you for?” The wrong kind of conflict is personal, emotional, and more focused on winning than finding the best answer. On the other hand, the right kind of conflict is rational, respectful, and characterized by truly listening.

When we think about conflict resolution along a two dimensional matrix, with assertiveness and cooperativeness as the variables, it can look something like the diagram below. The best solutions come from the upper right, while the worst tend to come from the lower left.

When we don’t speak up because we are trying to avoid conflict we can end up with poor solutions. Compromising is sometimes the best we can do, but it won’t always get us to the best solution. True collaboration requires us to present our perspectives rationally and professionally. We must listen to the criticisms, not just to prepare our retort, but to expose the flaws so that we can develop better solutions. You can tell when a discussion is productive because there are a lot of pauses while people think about what is said before replying. 

None of us have all the answers all the time. Good conflict resolution not only provides the best answers but also protects us against bad solutions. 

Your team probably has members that don’t speak up. It is your job as a leader to get them to share their perspective and ensure the team gives it the consideration it deserves. A great team solving a difficult problem is always a thing of beauty.