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For folks who love working with constructive conflict, here’s a visual built from Lencioni’s Ideal Conflict Zone.
Teams often have an a-ha moment thinking about conflict as a spectrum where negative conflict can happen in “both” directions, that there is such a thing as too much harmony. Instinctively they know it, but I’ll often coach them through a discussion of what conflict looks like across this range – and how will they know they are in the constructive zone.
– Betsy Block, PCC-ACTC AC-ACS, Team Coach & Coach Supervisor
Betsy, thank you for sharing the visual. I would like to add to this the concept of conflict intelligence (CI) and how some of its competencies manifest within teams. While my research primarily focuses on leadership and CI, I’m intrigued by how CI appears in teams as a whole.
In the July/August 2025 issue of HBR, Peter T. Coleman’s article, The Conflict-Intelligent Leader, provides examples of what high CIQ leaders do during conflicts. I’ve observed that high-performing teams often exhibit similar approaches, such as “laying the groundwork” and “growing rapport.” This has led me to think about how competencies like self-awareness/regulation, social conflict skills, adaptability to changing situations, and system awareness can be seen as team competencies.
I’m curious to hear others’ thoughts on this.
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