Discuss Types of Conflict

Not all conflict is the same, and treating it that way leads to either avoidance or escalation. This lesson gives the team a shared vocabulary for naming what kind of disagreement is actually happening. That vocabulary alone reduces tension because people stop personalizing what is often a structural issue.

Theory

Researchers typically distinguish three types of conflict in teams. Task conflict is about what to do or how to think about a problem. Process conflict is about how to get things done, who does what, and in what order. Relationship conflict is personal, involving feelings of friction or disrespect between individuals. Task conflict, when handled well, improves decisions. Process conflict, surfaced early, prevents bottlenecks. Relationship conflict, left unnamed, erodes everything you built in Levels 1 through 4. The key insight is that a team does not need to eliminate conflict. It needs to recognize which type it is dealing with and respond accordingly. The listening skills from Activity 13 and the feedback practices from Activities 20 and 21 give you tools for all three. What this lesson adds is the ability to diagnose before you react.