The function of functional conflict
Most individuals would rather avoid conflict. Conflict makes them uncomfortable, it upsets, frightens or angers them. Nevertheless, conflict can be useful, for instance to identify weaknesses and to get others to express their feelings and views which they otherwise suppress (clear up). This can be invaluable in many ways, such as in problem diagnostics, solution-finding and innovation. Diffusing tension and having a better understanding of others may strengthen relationships, despite having gained this understanding by means of conflict.
It may also be useful to use conflict to weaken relationships, for instance to distance yourself from those who tend to disrupt or impede your attempts to reach your goals (clear out). After such conflict you may be less bothered, burdened or otherwise addressed by those you were in conflict with.
Conflict can also function to fully disengage yourself from a situation more quickly than otherwise would be possible (clear off).
Avoiding conflict may be very harmful. Imagine the risk or damage that may come about when a conflict averse senior doctor does not perform his duty to supervise a testy nurse, knowing that this perceived show of no-confidence would likely anger the nurse, or when a conflict averse passenger airplane copilot fails to question the captain’s judgement. Perhaps you yourself have experienced that conflict averse organisation members withheld certain unpopular knowledge that would have prevented certain policies or plans to fail, or a worker not offering the obvious solution to a problem that a co-worker has been struggling with for a very long time, afraid to upset that co-worker.
Functional conflict is: conflict that works. In other words: "Disputes that have more beneficial effect than negative effect." Its application is universal, including in organisational change.
Mild functional conflict can make others more willing to express their opinions, views and ideas, thus promoting innovation, problem resolution and problem prevention.
By stronger functional conflict one can distance oneself from parties who interfere with, or threaten to disturb or slow down the change process.
Functional conflict can also serve to reveal and address ingrained managerial defects that negatively affect the change process and the functioning of the organisation as a whole.
Since functional conflict can damage or break off social connections, before utilising this tool, it is wise to calculate the risks relative to the willingness to accept the negative consequences, should they occur. Attempts to repair relationships after ‘clear out’ or ‘clear off’ conflict (should altered conditions make this useful) are often not made, based on the (sometimes wrong) assumption that the other party is not open to a repair.
This gives an external change manager more liberty to utilise this tool, since (s)he has less need to maintain good working relations within the pertaining organisation.
René Van Someren’s personal website is: www.rene.vansomeren.org
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René Van Someren
