Professor William Bligh, a retired ship captain, writes the following on the board: 

• Power and influence 

• Bigger is better 

• Anger 

• Emotional intelligence 

• Bargaining 

• Bullying 

• You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours 

• Scorekeeping

Then he addresses the class: “Write a ten-page paper about how each of these concepts contributes to team conflict. 

I expect to see your papers in two days. Class dismissed.” Give thought to what the students might prepare. How might the answers from a class of older, part-time students in a master’s of health administration program be different from those given by people in a full-time residential program where most students are in their early twenties?

Consult the following books to gain a better understanding of team conflict: 

Fisher, R., and W. L. Ury. 2011. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, 3rd ed. New York: Penguin. 

Patterson, K., J. Grenny, R. McMillan, and A. Switzler. 2005. Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill. 

The Arbinger Institute. 2020. The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict, 3rd ed. Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. 

Wisdom, J. 2020. Millennials’ Guide to Management & Leadership: What No One Ever Told You About How to Excel as a Leader. New York: Winding Pathway Books.