Brenda Leavenworth, Kelly Bell, and Becky Dente continue their five-part discussion of Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by focusing on dysfunction #2, the fear of conflict.
They explain that conflict is inevitable in life and ministry and that avoiding it often pursues “artificial peace,” producing passive-aggressive meetings, parking-lot conversations, and unproductive decisions. They discuss common fears behind conflict avoidance, including isolation, misunderstanding, loss of control, and difficult emotions, and emphasize creating safe spaces for respectful truth-telling, listening well, keeping conflict about ideas not people, and refocusing on mission rather than ego.
Using biblical examples and passages, they stress handling truth with humility, sometimes knowing when to step back, and addressing issues early. They recommend Lencioni’s book, Conflict Management for Faith Leaders by Dr. Houston Thompson, and studying Proverbs.
