Two coworkers want different plans. Each thinks theirs is better. They argue about which way to go. That argument is a conflict.
conflict
When two people want different things. They bump into each other over it.
Sources
Buster Benson, Why Are We Yelling? (2019)
CPP Global Human Capital Report, 2008
De Dreu & Weingart, "Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: A meta-analysis," Journal of Applied Psychology, 2003
Jehn, Administrative Science Quarterly, 1995
John Gottman & Robert Levenson, longitudinal couples studies
John M. Gottman & Nan Silver, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work (Crown, 1st ed. 1999), ch. 2 "How I Predict Divorce", p. 40 — the 82% for the four horsemen alone and the "into the 90s" figure with failed repair attempts, both verified verbatim; the prediction models are contested by Heyman & Slep (2001), Journal of Marriage and Family.
The Gottman Institute
De Dreu, C. K. W., & Weingart, L. R. (2003). "Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: A meta-analysis." Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(4), 741-749. Abstract read verbatim — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12940412/
Jehn, K. A. (1995). "A Multimethod Examination of the Benefits and Detriments of Intragroup Conflict." Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(2), 256-282. Abstract (105 work groups and management teams; outcomes = satisfaction, liking, intent to remain) — https://api.openalex.org/works/doi:10.2307/2393638
The Gottman Institute. "The Four Horsemen: Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling." Confirms verbatim: "contempt is the single greatest predictor of divorce" — https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-horsemen-recognizing-criticism-contempt-defensiveness-and-stonewalling/
The Gottman Institute. "The Magic Relationship Ratio, According to Science." Confirms 5-to-1 positive-to-negative measured during conflict discussions — https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-magic-relationship-ratio-according-science/
The Myers-Briggs Company (formerly CPP, Inc.). Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument product and certification page — establishes that the publisher of the 2008 CPP conflict report sells conflict assessments and conflict-management certification — https://www.themyersbriggs.com/en-US/Products-and-Services/TKI
Whyte, W. H., Jr. (1952). "Groupthink." Fortune, March 1952 — the coinage of the term, predating Janis by twenty years. Read via the quoted excerpt and sourcing in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink
Buster Benson, "About Me" — establishes he is a technology product person and author, not a researcher — https://busterbenson.com/about
De Dreu & Weingart (2003) study count, verified 2026-08-11 from the full text (https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Negotiation_and_Conflict_Management/De_Dreu_Weingart_Task-conflict_Meta-analysis.pdf): "Thirty studies that met the criteria were identified." There is NO single k — each analysis differs (task-performance k=25, relationship-performance k=24, task-satisfaction k=12, relationship-satisfaction k=14), so say "30 studies" and never "30 effect sizes". The abstract gives no count at all.
Read end to end and corrected: August 10, 2026. Numbers checked: August 10, 2026.