Good Conflict

I've always been a firm believer that it's not a question in life (and ministry, and family, and business, and...) whether conflict will arise, but how it arises, and how we manage our responses to it.

Very few people enjoy conflict, but more than a few people avoid conflict at all costs.  To do so, however, misses out on the richness of conflict and the catalyzing force for positive change it can be.

I recently came across a Harvard Business Review article (December 2009 issue) that is a good summary of why conflict is good for organizations (hint: lack of conflict can signify complacency, which generally leads to a lack of effectiveness), what conflicts are worth fighting over (generally mission-critical issues), and how to navigate conflict fairly.

The "Idea in Brief" (quick summary) is here.  The full article is here.