Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Practice Exam

What is the negative effect of excessive conflict within a work team?

1. Has a positive effect on creating alternate solutions

2. Results in healthy debate

3. Creates lose-lose situations

4. Has no impact on team dynamics

The correct answer is: Creates lose-lose situations

The choice identifying the negative effect of excessive conflict within a work team is appropriate because excessive conflict often leads to unproductive outcomes. In a team context, when conflicts escalate beyond constructive discussions, it can lead to a situation where all parties feel defeated or dissatisfied, resulting in a lose-lose scenario. Instead of reaching a cooperative solution, team members may become entrenched in their positions, leading to a breakdown in communication and collaboration, ultimately harming team morale and effectiveness. In contrast, the other options highlight situations where some level of conflict might be beneficial. For example, healthy debate can stimulate diverse viewpoints and fuel innovation, while excessive conflict does not provide a platform for constructive outcomes. Additionally, if conflict has no impact on team dynamics, it would imply that the conflict is entirely benign, which does not accurately reflect the disruptive potential of excessive conflict. Thus, recognizing the detrimental nature of excessive conflict underscores why it creates lose-lose situations in work teams.