The Importance of Constructive Conflict

At either end of this line that's between my two hands is different levels of conflict. On one end is what we call harsh, mean-spirited attacks where we're at each other's throat and we hate each other. At the other end of that line is artificial harmony, where everybody's smiling and nodding and avoiding any conflict. Most organizations we work with, certainly nonprofits and churches are at the artificial harmony end. And when we cling to the end of the pool, that's where artificial harmony is, really, really bad things happen.