Part of effective conflict management is knowing when proper stimulation is necessary. Many people
think that conflict is inherently bad—that it undermines goals or shows that a group or meeting is not
running smoothly. In fact, if there is no conflict, it may mean that people are silencing themselves and
withholding their opinions. The reality is that within meaningful group discussions, there are usually
varying opinions about the best course of action. If people are suppressing their opinions, the final result
may not be the best solution. During healthy debates, people point out difficulties or weaknesses in a
proposed alternative and can work together to solve them. The key to keeping the disagreement healthy is
to keep the discussion focused on the task, not the personalities. For example, a comment such as “Jack’s
ideas have never worked before. I doubt his current idea will be any better” is not constructive. Instead, a
comment such as “This production step uses a degreaser that’s considered a hazardous material. Can we
think of an alternative degreaser that’s nontoxic?” is more productive. It challenges the group to improve
upon the existing idea.