3.+Fear+of+Conflict



**Dysfunction 2** is the //**Fear of Conflict.**//

And **conflict** -- in his view -- **is positive**, as long as it is direct, out in the open and leads to results.

People who lack trust (Dysfunction 1) are afraid to engage in healthy conflict; therefore, they accomplish little during meetings because they are always skirting around the issues and avoiding conflict. They are afraid of what their colleagues will think if they challenge them openly and also fearful of what they will say behind their backs. None of these behaviors lead to productive teamwork.

On the other hand, teams that engage in positive conflict find solutions quicker and can move ahead. Open debate is always better than avoidance and back-stabbing. Lencioni distinguishes between what he calls “productive ideological conflict” and “destructive fighting and interpersonal politics” (pg. 202). Productive ideological conflict is about ideas, ways to improve a company, concepts, etc., __not personal attacks__. That is probably his most important point. It is impossible to engage in positive conflict if you feel as though you are being attacked personally!


 * Ways to encourage healthy conflict (pgs. 204-205):**
 * Accept that it is productive and not damaging.
 * Assign someone to be the “miner” during a meeting, the one who will intentionally bring up controversial issues and see that they are hashed out.
 * Coach each other during a situation of conflict that what is happening is healthy and good for the company and not meant to be taken personally.
 * Use tools (methods) specifically designed for handling conflict. One example is the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKL) -- a method that allows team members to understand “natural inclinations” during conflict and the best ways to handle these in different situations.
 * What a leader can do (pg. 206):**
 * Step aside and allow the conflict to happen naturally: //Lencioni argues that it is the leader’s natural inclination to step in and help out the person being “attacked,” or on the receiving end of the conflict. This is a **bad** idea because the conflict isn’t resolved, and the person never learns conflict management strategies.//
 * Model appropriate conflict.