The Advantages and Disadvantages of Conflict at Work

Introduction

Conflict can be a source of creativity and new ideas, or a weight that drags down people’s emotions and productivity. This collection of articles from MIT Sloan Management Review looks at how to deal with strong emotions in the workplace, how to manage divergent points of view, and how to make sure that the company doesn’t fall victim to the “Immutable Law of the Ex.”

From “The Smart Way to Respond to Negative Emotions at Work”:

• It is impossible to block negative emotions from the workplace. They take root from bad decisions, misfortune, poor timing, or employees’ personal problems.
• When managers fail to notice or respond to negative emotions, they subsequently encounter increases in rifts, resentment, and dissatisfaction among ...