Three parameters to consider to understand team health.

1. Task Conflict
2. Relationship Conflict
3. Value Conflict

Task conflict: Good to have. If there is a healthy disagreement on the approach, procedure, and manner in which a task has to be accomplished then it is good for the progress of the team. After the conflict is over, you might want to catch up for a coffee with the person. Very high task conflict without any outcome is a red flag. High task conflict may sometimes lead to relationship conflict. You don’t want to have coffee with that person anymore.

Relationship conflict: ” I am not aligned because I don’t like you”. People avoid each other, don’t challenge enough, and are not open. This is a fundamental trait of a somewhat dysfunctional team. People don’t get along because they have different personalities and tastes. Teams can be still functional with some degree of relationship conflicts. (Five Dysfunctions of a Team covers this aspect).

Value Conflict: People come from different cultural, geographic, educational, and professional backgrounds, and generations. Hence they hold different beliefs and values. This could be as trivial as how they value time. Notice how some people are always late for meetings? (Erin Meyer covers some aspect in her book Culture Map)

All three conflicts are common in most teams. The question is which one is making your team dysfunctional?

#conflict#teams