FEAR OF CONFLICT

Fear of conflict results in an inability to communicate clearly and openly within a team. This can lead to artificial harmony, which results in dysfunctional teams that are unable to critique members or address key internal issues. Conflict, when viewed as a productive tool rather than one to be avoided, allows teams to constantly discuss ways to improve, allowing them to successfully reach their goals.

How do you address conflict in your team?

LISA DONOGHUE

"stepping back and looking at it from a collaborative perspective, this is the way we try to tackle it. We try to be as direct with each other as we can."

What advice do you have for maintaining productive conflict (as opposed to counterproductive conflict) in a team or group setting?

DR. PIKE

“I would say that the difference between productive conflict and counterproductive conflict rests on the individuals having a sense of being part of a group that has a shared vision, that has a shared set of values, and that is committed to open communication, so that when there are conflicts, we are able to constructively engage.”