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I believe that conflict can be beneficial in groups because it can lead to the generation of new and creative ideas, increased group cohesion, and improved decision-making. When people with different perspectives and experiences come together in a group, it is natural for them to have conflicting ideas and opinions. This can sometimes lead to tension and disagreement, but it can also be a source of growth and progress for the group. One of the key benefits of conflict in groups is that it can stimulate creative thinking. When people are challenged to defend their ideas and viewpoints, they are forced to think more deeply and critically about the issue at hand. This can lead to the generation of new ideas and solutions that might not have been considered otherwise. Additionally, when people are encouraged to express their opinions openly and honestly, it can foster a sense of psychological safety within the group, which can further encourage creativity and innovation. Another benefit of conflict in groups is that it can increase group cohesion. When people are able to openly discuss their differences and reach a resolution, it can create a sense of unity and teamwork within the group. This can be especially important in sports, where a strong sense of teamwork and cooperation is essential for success. By addressing and resolving conflicts, group members can learn to trust and rely on each other, which can ultimately lead to better performance. Finally, conflict in groups can lead to improved decision-making. When people with different perspectives and backgrounds come together to discuss an issue, they can provide a broader range of information and perspectives, which can ultimately lead to better decision-making. Additionally, when group members are able to openly express their opinions and concerns, it can help to ensure that all voices are heard and that the final decision reflects the needs and interests of the entire group. In light of what I have learned about conflict and negotiation in groups, I will approach group conflict differently by focusing on active listening and empathy. I will make an effort to understand the perspective of others and to appreciate their unique experiences and backgrounds. I will also strive to be open and honest in expressing my own opinions and concerns, and to seek resolution through collaboration and compromise. By adopting these approaches, I believe I can help to facilitate constructive conflict and ultimately lead to better outcomes for the group.

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Dolphins solve problems just like humans in the the sense of using communication as the main tool to solve disputes. When comparing dolphins to humans, i would say dolphins would be the member in the group who's main goal is to get everyone on the same page and avoid disputes amongst the members. Conflict can be good for groups, it forces adversity among members and the only way for a group to succeed is by getting past the issues. I would say i'm similar to dolphins because when i go about solving conflict I try to avoid any sort of arguments by being kinda and by not singling out certain members or by being very clear about the goals. I tend to face group conflict well, i try to make everyone feel heard and understand that the only way to move forward is if we end up on the same page.

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Dolphins are great communicators and are not afraid to use their voice. When it comes to resolving conflict what I focus on most is making sure that everyone apart of the group is efficiently communicating their opinions and what issues that they are having which is leading to conflict. It is necessary to have conflict in groups and find what the root cause is and to communicate amongst each other to come to a beneficial conclusion for the group. This shows all members the importance of communication and that as a group everyone is capable of overcoming adversity. This week's reading has shows that it is key for everyone apart of a group to consider everyone's perspective and accept each others differences as a way to improve communication and problem solving. It is key to ensure that when a conflict comes that as a group you handle it properly to avoid detrimental affects.

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Within team development, there's always conflict that is bound to occur, as it is part of the overall process of growth in a team. Conflict in teams can be beneficial in groups as team members can work together and solve problems in an efficient and cooperative manner. Communicating with your team members can truly make a difference when it comes to resolutions within the group. Also, at times and in certain situations, confrontation can facilitate the flow of representing ideas that  may resolve the issues that arise. Collaborating with team members is a must, as being an efficient leader means working with others to reach a mutual goal. Owls represent this type of conflict management as they are very observant and focus on details so that they approach the conflict in an appropriate manner. Within the text, it mentions that "negotiators used three dynamic processes- trust testing, process clarification, and emotional punctuation- when they had difficulty moving the interaction toward a coherent, mutually agreed-upon pattern" (Levine, 2013). In this week's reading about conflict and negotiation in groups, I will approach conflict with the intentions of negotiation, communication and attentiveness when it comes to the team I'm working with and any tasks that require teamwork. Levine states that through this negotiation pattern, a conflict may be resolved effectively with close attention to detail and clarification amongst one another.

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By: Audrie Gonzalez//Elephants are understanding and empathetic but can also efficiently problem solve and adapt to their surroundings as needed. 

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Understanding but also can problem solve and adapt 

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Understanding but also can problem solve and adapt 

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In any team or group environment, conflict is bound to happen. Conflict in teams can be healthy though because through active problem solving and engagement team members can come out more connected and determined to establish shared goals. On the other hand conflict and also lead to tension and hinder group development. Active communication and negotiation is key to handling conflict productively. Listening to one another and making sure group members feel valued and respected. Then working collaboratively to come up with a positive solution. Personally, I handle conflict by first listening to all sides to make sure everyone feels heard. Majority of the time, the plan you had conjured will not be stuck to so you have to adapt. Being able to problem solve not only quickly but also efficiently is key to success when working in teams with one another.

In this week's reading one take away I had was at meetings or group gatherings having conflict that arises can actually increase productivity. "When team members lose interest during a meeting, they fail to surface critical opinions , and they do not fully evaluate whatever options are aired." ( Lencioni, 2005) Meaning if there is no conflict to handle at meetings people can get bored and disinterested resulting in them looking over key details that may be important to the task at hand. Healthy conflict allows for all ideas to be shared even if they may not be favored by majority of the group and allows group members to still feel a sense of connection.

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Pangolins are shy solitary creatures that can be described as a cross between an anteater and an armadillo. When threatened they can choose to curl into a ball, climb a tree, burrow underground, or roll away. I find this animal characteristics as an apt description when describing myself. I am someone who prefers to work individually when given the option. When in a group setting, I like to remain quiet and unnoticed while agreeing with the opinions of others even if I do not because, I do not want to create conflict. I have associated conflict with arguing, stressful, and filled with tension. What I need to realize is that conflict can occur without these events. Conflict is important to have when working with groups because it allows for the communication of different ideas. By communicating, groups can refine their ideas and clear up any misunderstandings that they have. It also allows for the members to grow comfortable with each other and share their thoughts more easily. I need to approach group conflict differently than I have in the past by not being afraid to speak out and share my thoughts even if other may disagree.

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To understand why conflict is beneficial to the group, we need to understand the source of that conflict. Several times, as discussed during the chapters on group diversity, conflict arises from the different ideas and viewpoints of members of a heterogeneous group. Diversity creates conflict and debate, which culminates in the exploration of alternative solutions. This leads to more creativity, better decisions, and higher performance. Conflict can give us insights into the personalities and behaviours of others and broadens our mindset. Also, conflict will make the group go through some hardships pushing members outside of their comfort zone, with the reward being an increase in trust in each other. However, it is important to understand that conflict only achieves these benefits if the team members are willing to work and learn from it.

Through the readings, I now have a more clear approach to conflict-solving. An aspect I didn’t give much importance to before, but I need to start doing so now, is the profiling of each member. “On one extreme are the people who are comfortable screaming and shouting and arguing passionately; on the other are those who aren’t comfortable airing the mildest of dissenting opinions out of fear of offending”. As a leader, I need to understand where and why my team members fall to establish a conflict culture that everyone understands and grows from there.

-Sebastian Esteves

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I very immediately thought that my approach to conflict as an animal is most like an owl. This also overlaps with my business skills and best practices topic because we did a DISC assessment of our communication styles and I got C which stands for conscientiousness and is represented by an owl. I believe that your communication style is your conflict management style because conflicts arise from communication, miscommunication, or a lack of communication at all. With that being said, owls are observant and detail oriented and as a communication style, like to have all the information before making a decision and I feel that's how I approach conflict as well. I want to understand the problem, and how it affects each member, and identify a root if I can. The most significant details from this week's readings to me were the emphasis placed on approaching conflict from a rational point of view rather than an emotional one with responses that target a person instead of trying to tackle a situation.

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The animal that I relate to the most for handling conflict is the African Wild dog.  This animal travels in a pack, so they are constantly around each other and are being social, similar to how I am with my friends.  Being around people constantly leads to conflict, but these animals are communicating constantly and understand that no one should be left behind.  This leads to the question of why conflict is good in groups.  When looking at the team development model, we see that the storming phase is an important aspect in team development.  This allows people to learn more about each other, and the methods that they use to have success in a group setting (ex. how they contribute).  Because people tend to be individualistic, they come in with the idea of how they want it to be ran, but then after learning and adjusting to everyone, then the team is able to thrive and complete the task.  One of the main things that was brought up in the reading for this week was negotiating.  In the reading "Negotiation", Thompson explains the three categories to take note when negotiating with others: "We focus on three interrelated intrapersonal constructs that have received significant research attention in recent years—power, gender, and affect." (Thompson p. 58).  Negotiating is something that will always occur in the business world, and by understanding the certain traits that will come up with the people you work with will allow for a smoother transition on what both of you are trying to achieve.
- Preston Kavanaugh

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Elephants are incredibly wise and social animals and are known to be an extremely collaborative and cooperative species. 

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Conflict in group settings allows for a channel of communication and can initiate important conversations that may not otherwise be had. As a leader, it is important to recognize when conflict arises and the best way to confront the issue, while also promoting team growth and development without compromising the validity of the team.  Conflict can have both positive and negative effects on the team, and part of diffusing any tension is to figure out why there's conflict and what compromises within the team should or can be made. Allowing differences in opinions and perspectives in daily conversations can be beneficial in expanding ideas and creativity within the team.
It is always a difficult task to navigate when faced with conflict, through the readings and my understanding I think the best approach when dealing with arising conflict is to thoroughly listen to each new perspective and develop a solution that meets the needs of the team. Exploring different perspectives and finding an appropriate resolution is key for growth within a team.

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Rhinos have patience, patience is something you need when dealing with conflicts between groups. Without patience the conflict will not be resolved rather it would become worse. In stressful environments it is important to have patience when working with others. Many times these stressful environments can cause more issues to arise. Staying calm and taking the time to understand the problem from another point of view is how groups of people can come a conclusion on a conflict. Once all the opinions are considered it can be easier to come to a mutual perspective making the whole as a group stronger. Having different opinions does not weaken the group, it adds extra knowledge creating a more educated conclusion. -Ben Pearle

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Owls Represent wisdom, intelligence, indépendant thinking, and observant listening.

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Confrontation can be beneficial to a group under certain circumstances. In order to facilitate productive confrontation there needs to be clear communication about what is going on, why there is confrontation, what each side of the situation is representing, and a separation of the individual from the confrontation over ideation. This constructive confrontation can drastically change the way a group thinks about a topic and harness the diversity of ideas within a group. Thus leading to higher quality outcomes and comradely.
As a leader it is important to remember these boundaries to ensure that confrontation does not lead to disgruntled attitudes among group members. It is also imperative to fully listen to all members involved and work to understand both the what and why behind their prespectives. -Gabriel Marshall

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Horses try to stay calm in all environments. Furthermore, they are naturally instinctive, which gives them the ability to adapt to any situation accordingly.

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Similar to diversity, conflict management can positively affect the outcome of a group. At first, when a group forms, dealing with conflict during meetings and discussions can create a stressful and uncomfortable environment. However, through a mutual understanding of the team's collective vision and goals, these differences can be used to the group's advantage. Conflict will most likely arise from differences in opinion towards the subject of discussion. As mentioned in this week's reading, "it is extremely rare that people attack each other openly on a personal level" (Lencioni, 2005). In many cases, conflict will stem from others trying to find different ways of solving problems, rather than deliberately trying to prove others wrong. Because of this, to properly manage conflict, it is important to understand the source of conflict rather than making the assumption that it arises due to individual personality differences.
Overcoming conflict also involves a certain degree of compromise. Proper conflict management will avoid relying overwhelmingly on one person's opinion about how to solve an issue. When a group focuses on involving the input of all members in the final decision of a project or assignment, the final result will include a combination of the ideas and perspectives of each teammate. Therefore, proper conflict management can help a group solve problems in unique ways through the contributions of members who share different perspectives. This can then lead to both higher levels of internal group benefits as well as increased benefits for external group stakeholders.
Based on this week's readings, remaining calm and collected during times of conflict can help facilitate the resolution process and potentially avoid escalating it to unnecessarily high levels. Additionally, understanding how to approach conflict to better manage the situation requires a certain level of instinctiveness that will help understand the differences that exist between group members. Instead of trying to avoid conflict altogether, it should be dealt with directly to produce the best possible group outcome.

-Christian Hill

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Dogs often play as groups and work together in packs when used for sled pulling showing their group mentality

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Conflict in groups can many times cause disorganization, but also allows all sides of a argument to be expressed and for the best solution to be accomplished. This ability to discuss all sides allows all members to feel involved and get their part put in to the project. I will take this approach to better work as a team and allow all members to have their part just like dog sleding.

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Elephants represent wisdom. They are essentially gentle and peaceful animals. 

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Calmly and wisely diffuse and redirect conflict to growth

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Calmly and wisely diffuse and redirect conflict to growth

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Conflict in groups can be a negative experience at first, but the opportunity of growth is available despite that. Groups can work on communication, diverse skills, and the group dynamic, which could lead to a better understanding of one another and opportunity for success.

Sometimes in group conflict it is easy to stand in your own perspective. After this week’s learnings I have realized that I need to step out of my own perspective and see from my group members perspective and hear them out fully. To come up with a solution we must see and hear one another. After we can understand the conflict itself and one another we will be able to navigate a way to a solution.
-Haley B

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German Sheperds are regarded as one of the breeds of dogs with the best hearing.

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Conflict is as common as dealing with traffic in Tampa. The best way for a team currently enduring a conflict between members, in my opinion, is by being open minded and practice active listening. I relate this to being dog-like, while they cannot talk back, they are receptive to their owners. i think this is a skill that all need to learn in order to progress past conflicts. I.e. learning how to be an active listener.

My experience in active listening began when I did not want to listen to my other groupmates. This caused my group members to no longer want to work with me and led to me getting kicked out of the group, and receiving a zero on the assignment.

Michael Long

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Indovegas - Situs Online Gaming Terpercaya

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Indo Vegas adalah situs online gaming dengan player aktif Indonesia terbesar. Nama Indovegas terkenal dengan games terbaru yang mudah menang profit dengan modal kecil.

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Cats are confident & fierce, they are not afraid to show their emotional side when it comes to conflict. They're loyal once they built trust within its group.

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We cannot avoid conflict, no matter how much we try. Conflict is essential to building a foundation and helps to communicate in groups. Good conflict in groups helps build trust by engaging in the unfiltered, passionate debate around issues. In this case, conflict helps to connect with each team member's personality and other ideas. "No matter how clear everyone is that the conflict they're engaging in is focused on issues, not personalities, it is inevitable that they will feel under some degree of personal attack" (Lencioni, 2005). There will be some situation that may occur where they are facing conflict and may be uncomfortable; however, if team member does not make one another uncomfortable at times, and if they are not being pushed out of their comfort zone during team meetings and discussions, then that will most likely lead to not making the best decision for the group project. If conflict is not handled correctly, it can lead to bad performance in team projects. I learned from this week's reading how to handle conflict, especially in groups, which is understanding one another, listening, trusting, communicating, and engaging in conflict to achieve. I see myself as a wild cat that is confident and fierce; they are not afraid to show their emotional side, and their social behavior is based on a level of trust.

~ Holly Vidas

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Thoughtful, cooperative, fierce defender of others

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Thoughtful, cooperative, fierce defender of others

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Conflict is good for a group when appropriate on the conflict continuum. Constructive conflict can coincide with passion and passion can fuel productive engagement. Lencioni (2005) states the five dysfunctions of a team are absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. These five dysfunctions build upon one another, with engagement in conflict at the core of overcoming the rest. In our group, I will try to facilitate our group to speak candidly and act as mediator for any conflict straying into perceived destructive territory. We agreed to share roles in this sense, to all act as opinion givers, encouragers, and clarifiers if necessary. This will be crucial as our own passionate opinions come out. I’m not in the position to mediate when I am in conflict with a teammate on a topic, but another teammate can help us negotiate and resolve differences. Our commitment to shared responsibility will hopefully be our strength as a team.

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Conflict is one way a group can grow. Conflicts occur when a group is not connecting with each others ideas and even personalities. Conflicts can tell us a lot about each other and how we handle adversity within the group. Conflict can lead to communication, opening up, and getting to the bottom of a problem. By allowing conflict to happen. Conflict if not handled correctly can also break up a team. From the reading this week I have seen that the best way that I would handle conflict is by having no personal biases about the conflict and listen to each side and then propose the solution that will best benefit the group. The giraffe is tall and able to look above and see things from a different perspective, When dealing with conflict I tend go try and see things from all sides and be as unbiased as possibly to ensure a positive outcome.

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Bees are team-players that work together toward a common goal despite challenges they face. They also complete tasks in groups to work more efficiently. 

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Conflict is an opportunity for groups to analyze and improve their communication methods. Generally, conflict occurs because a group has a disagreement, or a different way of viewing something. This can be resolved by communicating more clearly and efficiently to group needs, while also delegating who should do certain tasks. Learning more about conflict and negotiation in groups through this week's reading makes me feel more empowered to try using constructive discussion as a way to improve group processes. This can be applied in both group projects and in every day life through my on-campus involvements, as there are many instances where healthy, balanced communication can be beneficial to finding more about how a group works best together, rather than waiting for the end of the group project to determine how things could have been improved or change.
Katelyn Payne

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House cats are extremely territorial but loving and accepting once trust is built. They are incredible problem solvers and can easily adapt to their environment

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I imagine myself as a domesticated house cat when I think of myself in conflict because cats' social behaviors are dependent on levels of trust. Conflict is arguably an important aspect of team building because when people are stuck in artificial harmony, then their work will not be done at its absolute best since people are reluctant to share their true feelings. An ideal state that a team should manage to keep themselves in is constructive criticism where members openly share their concerns while also remaining respectful of others' feelings. However, when teams fall into destructive debates, this is not absolutely negative as long as the team can work through the conflict in a constructive manner. When teams can work through conflict, then the team builds confidence and trust in one another. The most efficient teams are ones where members can publicly express their concerns about conflict, while also being able to adapt their work styles to benefit the team.

Considering what I learned this week from the reading regarding the way that trust is built through conflict, I see myself as a house cat in situations of conflict because I am assertive yet adaptive. Cats are territorial creatures, but they are not completely solitary. They enjoy sharing space with others, but they are heavily reliant on trust. At my core, I am a solitary person and I prefer independent work, but I can work in a team well as long as there is mutual trust. I am taking away the information about openly expressing concerns and working through destructive conflict in future group settings because that is was what ultimately builds trust.
-Kima Sibayan

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Sloths are easy-going creatures that spend their days lounging in trees, sleeping, and munching on veggies. It's hard to find a picture of a sloth that that doesn't make you want to high-five him and pull up a tree, well, except for the claws.

When I think of conflict, two things come to mind: A difference of opinion (e.g. telling my wife why she’s wrong) and a difference objective (e.g. me buying a car from a guy who wants to make as much as he can). Pertaining to the former, it turns out that my wife is actually right about nine out of ten times I "knew" she was wrong. In the almost ten years that we’ve been married, I’ve grown up a bit, finally swallowed my pride, and learned to shut my mouth as a rule rather than an exception. In the case of a difference of objective, there’s really no way for both of use to get everything we want, but we can get most things we want if both parties are willing to, well, negotiate a little.  This is referred to as “Pareto-optimality” in the book (Levine, 2017). The problem, however, is that we have lost the ability to make rational choices and look at situations from someone else’s perspective. For example, the guy selling the car needs to feed his family, but I don’t think about that, I just take what I can and let him deal with the scorched earth.

These two different scenarios play out in intragroup and intergroup contexts the same way. We define the objective as all or nothing, take what we can, and, in our pride we fail to recognize that the world would be a lot easier to live in if we could apply a measure of empathy to the situation. When I go for an interview, am I thinking about what I can get out of the company or how much I'll get paid, or what I can offer my future employer that will perpetuate that firm? Do I cheat at tax season, or recognize that I like to drive on nice roads and have emergency services show up at my house when I need them following, for example, a hurricane?

Conflict in any context or environment is not beneficial unless the parties are willing to work together to achieve something better between the two of them than either of them could achieve alone. Perhaps this is contradictory in the business world, where the art of the deal sometimes equates to beating the other guy into submission. I think we need to think bigger and more long-term than one deal or one business cycle. Conflict is useful in that context, when we focus what we can offer.

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Sea turtles may be known for their slow and easy-going nature, but they never quit. Persistence is key to overcoming life's greatest obstacles. 

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I have been wanting to work with sea turtles from a very young age, with one of my greatest pulls to them being their sheer level of determination when everything is working against them. Hatchlings are left to  fend for themselves right off the bat. They must battle predators and navigate the tallest of castles to find their way home to the ocean. Through all of these strides, their only goal is to keep moving forward. This very much relates to how I handle conflict, as when I approach a problem, I want to tackle it as quickly as I can, so that I can continue to move towards my goals and not let a setbacks halt my progress. Now I say "thick-shelled" as a play on the phrase "thick-skinned", meaning that one must be able to take criticism and constructive thoughts well. Some of the harshest realities of life have opened my eyes to new ways of solving problems. Sea turtles only have about a 1 in a 1,000 chance of making it to adulthood, and even with that harsh reality, they continue to move forward. Maybe they can be a little slow, and they may not have the brightest minds in the animal kingdom, but they face every odd in the book, and still, they persist. What better model of conflict resolution could you have?
In terms of working in groups and what I have learned, it's that you must be able to work together through the good and bad. It is okay if someone has an idea that challenges you. If you continue to listen and work through each problem, your group will flourish and move closer towards their goals. If you don't have any sort of conflict, you will never grow. You may even miss out on some things you would have never seen if there wouldn't have been a conflict. If a problem arises, hear all sides of the issue. Take each person's thoughts into account, and work out the best compromise possible for the good of each team member. Not all challenges are easy, but in the spirit of sea turtles, continuing to move forward despite the odds is the key.

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Gorillas are highly intelligent creatures that prefer to be peaceful. However, their assertive demeanor leads many to believe they are vicious and aggressive.

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Ultimately, I believe that conflict is beneficial for all groups, as it can lead to breakthrough ideas and surges in creativity. However, I can sometimes be too much in favor of having conflict in groups, which can lead people to believe that I am emotionless. Therefore, I would best compare my conflict management to that of a gorilla--typically peaceful, but regarded as aggressive by most. Ultimately, I think conflict in groups requires a balance: having little conflict results in groupthink with limited creativity/innovation, but having too much conflict results in heated arguments that prevent further brainstorming processes to occur. An excellent way to manage conflict is to utilize conflict norms: establishing rules and procedures for engaging in conflict during discussions (Lencioni, 2005). For example, I have been in groups in which conflict norms were used by implementing time slots for individuals to discuss various disagreements (I believe the time allotted to each member was two minutes). This allowed all members to share their thoughts on the dispute while simultaneously preventing members from interrupting (which would inevitably lead to incessant yelling among members). Furthermore, the team implemented a norm of muting our respective microphones while a member was sharing their thought on a disagreement to discourage interruptions. This proved to be beneficial, as we were able to solve disagreements in a civil manner that ultimately led to more innovative ideas. One approach I could use for future management in conflict would be conflict profiling: the act of understanding all members' viewpoints on conflict and how they interact during conflict (Lencioni, 2005). This could prove to be beneficial for my team, as understanding each other's conflict styles will help us assess what approach is best suited to handle disagreements among the group.

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Owls are major predators and hunt with precision. However, in culture, they are a symbol of wisdom and skill.

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With my prior experience working in team settings, I understand that conflict is nearly inevitable. However, an effective team leader is able to prevent and manage these occurrences. The owl represents my personal leadership style because it represents someone with high assertiveness and high cooperation. In this sense, I value my personal goals as well as the goals of the team. This requires me to have high assertiveness and high cooperation. Despite conflict being considered a 'negative', it can be beneficial to the team. Conflict exposes weaknesses in an individual's thinking. Similarly, conflict exercises conflict management and resolution skills that are critical in maintaining a positive work environment. After the conflict has been resolved, it strengthens interpersonal relationships. From the readings, I have learned that group conflicts need to be approached without personal bias and with an open mind. This ensures appropriate solutions that benefit each individual. Likewise, there needs to be an emphasis on appropriate communication and problem solving. The owl is my chosen leadership animal because it represents a keen focus on solving a problem through assertion, but having the wisdom to induce cooperation.

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Owls are major predators and hunt with precision. However, in culture, they are a symbol of wisdom and skill. 

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With my prior experience working in team settings, I understand that conflict is nearly inevitable. However, an effective team leader is able to prevent and manage these occurrences. The owl represents my personal leadership style because it represents someone with high assertiveness and high cooperation. In this sense, I value my personal goals as well as the goals of the team. This requires me to have high assertiveness and high cooperation. Despite conflict being considered a 'negative', it can be beneficial to the team. Conflict exposes weaknesses in an individual's thinking. Similarly, conflict exercises conflict management and resolution skills that are critical in maintaining a positive work environment. After the conflict has been resolved, it strengthens interpersonal relationships. From the readings, I have learned that group conflicts need to be approached without personal bias and with an open mind. This ensures appropriate solutions that benefit each individual. Likewise, there needs to be an emphasis on appropriate communication and problem solving. The owl is my chosen leadership animal because it represents a keen focus on solving a problem through assertion, but having the wisdom to induce cooperation.

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Giant pandas are usually non-violent and docile, but can defend themselves when attacked.

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When working in teams, conflict is inevitable. Good leaders can foster environments that both avoid personal conflicts and encourage process conflicts that can be good for group growth and development. The opportunity for team members to share their opinions and thoughts through healthy disagreement allows the team to explore new options, encourages creativity, and supports the foundation of trust within the team.

The biggest takeaway I had from this week's readings was the idea of the "Ideal Conflict Point" and finding the balance between artificial harmony and destructive conflict that includes mean-spirited attacks (Lencioni, 2005). I believe that by using my emotional intelligence and being in tune with my team members emotional states, I can help our team find that balance especially when we've stepped over the line. While I often avoid conflicts, as described by my panda bear approach, using the continuum of conflict will help me remember that if the conflict is about process and not people it can be beneficial to the team.

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Kangaroos are excitable and friendly animals, preferring to allow others to do things their way. While hesitant to lead, they will take command when necessary.

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Reluctant and Impulsive, but Adaptive and Accepting

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Reluctant and Impulsive, but Adaptive and Accepting

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Conflict is an inevitable step in the group process. When approached correctly, it can serve as beneficial towards all those involved. Good leaders are able to healthily and respectfully draw out any unearthed tension, resentment, or distrust, and allow for it to be openly and respectfully discussed. They have the skillset to approach discourse carefully, yet aware enough to acknowledge that, while uncomfortable, it is an important discussion to be had. This way, more negative barriers may be broken, and a greater level of understanding can take place. As a result, the group will be more cohesive and create new innovative ways to finding the solution. Conflict can also help members learn more about each other, potentially erasing any preconceptions and forming a more understanding and inclusive mindset.

Considering what I have learned from this weeks reading, the biggest takeaway has been to politely interject during a debate and reminder those participating that it is a natural and beneficial thing to do. This can be seen through the "real-time permission" method. While it may seem odd, it serves as a brief intermission to momentarily break any built-up tension and  encourage them to be more aware of the positive effects of what they are doing. After letting them resume, they will be more relaxed, casual, and comfortable amongst themselves (Lencioni, 2005). I believe that quickly interrupting a heated argument, and giving them a moment to breath will have a hugely positive impact on group bonding and teamwork. This way, everyone will become more situationally aware and comfortable around each other. Even though I am a bit impulsive, preferring to wait until later to address things, as well as remain as an observer in most situations, I will now be more interactive with my group, voicing opinions and concerns in a beneficial manner. While I also have a tendency to let everyone do their own thing, if I see something that is inhibiting our success, I will step in and assume a leadership role. In it, I will act as a mediator, bringing the tension and conflict out into the open while acknowledging and accepting everyone's perspectives. Learning about this method has encouraged me to take a step away from the sidelines and towards being an active member that has the skills to recognize and  regulate discourse among my team. I will be able to help everyone discuss difference  in a calm and respectful manner, stimulating a more open and understanding outcome.