Many teams avoid conflict, assuming harmony is the marker of health. But smooth agreement can be deceptive. When people hesitate to test ideas, challenge assumptions, or disagree openly, the team risks slipping into complacency. Weak ideas go untested, decisions become shallow, and performance plateaus. This is the challenge of challenge.
Challenge is not the enemy of cohesion but a sign of it. Strong teams know that when people can debate issues without making it personal, ideas sharpen and trust deepens. Constructive tension is what keeps teams honest, agile, and capable of finding better answers together.
The State of Play
Organisational psychology and leadership research point to the value of open, constructive debate:
- Psychological safety fuels candour. Amy Edmondson’s research at Harvard shows that teams with high psychological safety are far more likely to share concerns, admit mistakes, and question assumptions, which are critical ingredients for innovation and error prevention.
- Conflict boosts performance. A study across 117 project teams found that task conflict (constructively debating ideas) was positively linked to overall team performance, but only when psychological safety was high. In low-safety environments, task conflict didn’t translate into better outcomes.
- Clear team norms empower. Across 38 teams software teams, norm clarity and psychological safety are positively linked to performance and job satisfaction. Norm clarity was particularly impactful - 30% stronger for performance and 71% stronger for satisfaction compared to psychological safety alone.
Teams that create space for constructive challenge don’t fracture but get stronger.
The Mindflick
Making space for challenge is a hallmark of strong cultures. It’s not about confrontation for its own sake, but about creating the conditions where ideas are tested, sharpened, and improved.
Three principles help teams create that space:
- Frame challenge as contribution. Emphasise that questioning and testing ideas is about making the team better, not undermining individuals.
- Model it from the top. Leaders set the tone by creating norms that invite dissent, respond constructively, and show that disagreement is welcome.
- Separate people from ideas. Keep the focus on the work. When criticism targets the idea rather than the individual, teams stay safe while debates stay sharp.
Healthy teams don’t avoid tension, but embrace it. By making space for challenge, they sharpen their thinking, strengthen trust, and ensure the best ideas rise above the loudest voices.