Let’s Talk About It: Turning Confrontation into Collaboration at Work

CHAPTER 3

AVOIDANCE COSTS

Avoiding conflict has consequences, however, and these consequences are typically more problematic than the issues you are avoiding. Yes, there are circumstances under which dropping the matter makes sense, such as a minor conflict with a colleague or one that is not repeated when a team member’s behavior was completely out of character, and you know that she was under tremendous stress. More likely, however, not addressing the problem will cause discord to exacerbate and resentment to fester. The fallout also often impacts others in the organization. In this chapter, we will discuss why letting ourselves off the hook can leave us on the hook for lots more conflict. As you read, reflect on your own experiences and the ...