Team conflict can add value or destroy it. Good conflict fosters
respectful debate and yields mutually agreed-upon solutions that are
often far superior to those first offered. Bad conflict occurs when team
members simply can’t get past their differences, killing productivity
and stifling innovation. Destructive conflict typically stems not from
differences of opinion but from a perceived incompatibility between the
way certain team members think and act. The conventional approach to
working through such conflict is to respond to clashes as they arise.
But this approach routinely fails because it allows frustrations to
build for too long, making it difficult to reset negative impressions
and restore trust.In their research on team dynamics and experience
working with executive teams, Toegel and Barsoux have found a proactive
approach to be much more effective. In this article, they introduce a
methodology that focuses on how people look, act, speak, think, and
feel. Team leaders facilitate five conversations—one focused on each
category—before the team gets under way, to build a shared understanding
of the process, rather than the content, of work and lay the foundation
for effective collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]