Fear of Conflict in Teams: How Can We Master the Art of Giving Feedback?

Fear of Conflict in Teams

Patrick Lencioni's '5 Dysfunctions of a Team' book discusses five reasons why any team might fail. One of these reasons is the fear of conflict. It can be very uncomfortable for most of us when it comes to sharing feedback with others, as it might lead to conflicts that nobody wants to experience.

The Art of Feedback Sharing

Feedback sharing is an art. If done correctly, it can lead any team to become a better team. Check out this latest blog on the same topic. Happy reading!

Thanks,

PS: Follow the link if you don't want to download the PDF version - Magic Of Teams » The Art of Giving Feedback

Dear Neo Sharma, I have read Patrick Lencioni's book titled "Understanding and Overcoming Team Dysfunctions." Since I conduct the training program on "5 Dysfunctions of a Team" based on this book, I read your article avidly. Nevertheless, I find a little disconnect in the art of giving feedback and the 5 dysfunctions of the team. Of the five dysfunctions, you have tried to establish a connection with one of the dysfunctions, i.e., "Fear of Conflict."

The root cause of "Fear of Conflict" is the company's culture in general and the behavior of the boss in particular. A company's culture that promotes sycophancy makes conflict a taboo. Subordinates are expected to be lackeys. Bosses often use their positional power, and they do not welcome critical examination of their actions or decisions. Disagreement is viewed as disobedience. This kind of environment obviously destroys teamwork.

On the other side, knowing how to give feedback is a great skill. Constructive feedback motivates the other person. If this skill is mastered, it helps in building trust among team members. However, to eradicate the dysfunction of "Fear of Conflict," one needs to know how to receive feedback. Ego or high-handedness often prevent individuals from accepting feedback. Subordinates tend to only say things that their boss wants to hear. Given this scenario, even if a subordinate has mastered the art of giving feedback, it holds little value as there is minimal opportunity to use this skill effectively.

Although you mentioned Patrick Lencioni's book in your post, there is no mention in the attachment.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

The Impact of Sycophancy in Organizational Culture

A company's culture that promotes sycophancy often treats conflict as a taboo. Subordinates are expected to act as lackeys. There are certain national characteristics which manifest themselves in this behavior. Moreover, bosses always use positional power, and if things go wrong, they want a scapegoat in position. The culture of slavery for centuries has embedded a survival gene which manifests itself in sycophancy and yesmanship. People speak what the bosses want to hear. Where does the organization go in such cases?

First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to not only read the article but also to write your feedback.

Fear of conflict arises for many reasons. It can start at any level—be it executive or the boss. You are certainly right about the culture of a company that could promote this fear.

In his book Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni said, “In this situation, people try to win the arguments. They start manipulating the conversations to get what they want. And, instead of discussions with the other person face to face, they vent about them in the hallways after the meeting is over.” The sad part is that the fear of conflict comes in another form—fear of personal conflict, where we start taking these situations as a personal attack on ourselves.

Timeworn styles of leadership might still follow such traits, which are not helping organizations or even individuals. This kind of ineffective communication affects us from all sides, from our personal lives to large companies.

That’s why the new age of leaders takes such situations as an opportunity to correct wrong behavior and nudge towards the ultimate goal, converting such situations from 'monologue' to 'dialogue' occasions. This certainly requires polished skills in feedback sharing.

It's good to see people like you contributing to help others move from timeworn to new age styles of leadership.

Thanks again ☺

Hi Nathrao,

Thanks for your comments. I second your thought about bosses using their positions to influence each other's behavior. It is very sad to see such examples around us. However, the good part is that it is changing dramatically. Nowadays, new-age leaders have started moving towards more positive ways to influence the team.

Thanks again... Keep sharing!

Thanks,