The value of conflict The word conflict raises thoughts of anger, friction, distrust, frustration and hostility. Rarely does anyone think of conflict as a tool for deeper thinking, better outcomes, and more dynamic communication. If left unmanaged, team conflict can destroy cohesion, but teams that use conflict resolution strategies can turn conflict into an asset. Managed conflict can promote an exchange of ideas to generate well-thought-out outcomes, encourage team members to think outside of their own ideas, and develop deeper understanding. Sal Capobianco, Mark Davis, and Linda Kraus attempt to dispel the myth that all conflict is bad in their article "Good Conflict, Bad Conflict: How to Have One Without the Other" (2004 a). In the article, they state that "some types of conflict resulting from organizational growth and change... may simply be the result of generating and debating new ideas; this type of conflict can be invigorating and even vital to the organization." (Capobianco et al, 2004, 3). The authors confirm that conflict can be a solid exchange of ideas that can bring an organization or team to life. However, the line between productive, healthy conflict and destructive, unhealthy conflict is thin. Only targeted conflict management strategies can keep the team on the path to success. Capobianco, Davis, and Kraus remind teams that “the ultimate goal is to shape and guide conflict in ways that minimize its painful and destructive forms and encourage its more positive and constructive forms.” (Capobianco et al, 2004, 3) Many articles and journals contain volumes of conflict resolution techniques. Essentially, most of them boil down to five basic approaches. These five approaches are described in an article by Glenn Starks, entitled “Conflict Management in Public Organizations” (2007): collaborate, compromise, accommodate, compete and avoid. Each of the approaches has pros and cons. However, the only conflict management approach that is truly intended to promote an exchange of ideas and work towards the best outcome is collaboration. Even if compromise comes almost second to collaboration, its premise is to agree on a meeting halfway. Claire White and Greta Thornbory also write about the five approaches to conflict management in their article “How to…manage conflict and confrontation” (2007). In the article, they describe collaboration as a “losing strategy, and the issue may have to be addressed again later” (White and Thornbory, 2007, 10). The other three approaches do not foster deep reflection and do not encourage teams to practice alternative thinking or develop a deeper understanding of problems.