Whenever you have a group of people (team) working as equals, conflict is always going to arise. We must resolve the conflict by addressing the problems equally from both sides, while figuring a way to avoid similar problems in the future.
In a team situation we need to realize that problems will arise due to conflicts of interest. Some team members may be more ambitious or more interested in their own goals. This can cause problems with other members. Personal conflicts can cause disharmony in the team, thus defeating the purpose of working together towards a common goal. Consider two team members who just can't seem to get along with each other. Instead of working together, we have two separate entities with different goals. This conflict can do nothing but harm the team and effect the outcome of the team's effort in a negative way.
It is imperative that these two members of the team do not, in any way, harm the team's ability to fulfill its task. When infighting is present in a team environment, the problems created by just two of the team members can destroy the entire mission of the team. Great care must be taken to see that these members recognize the conflict and do whatever they can to find some kind of resolution to their conflict. Team unity needs to be stressed, without the cooperation of all members of the team, success may be limited. .
Not everyone sees conflict as a hindrance to the team effort. Some people believe that the conflict is actually a good thing. Conflict is thought of as a natural process, vital to the well being of any team. In some peoples" opinion the team will not function properly unless this process is brought to fruition. .
"As soon as the team was formed, conflicts arose. Within six months the tensions among team members was so great that they were close to giving up. Fortunately, they didn't. As experienced employee-development professionals, they knew that disagreement is a healthy part of the collaborative process.