Confrontation vs Combativeness

The educational establishment has long embraced the idea that everyone wins, no one loses.  Examples:  no grades for courses taken:  kindergarten graduation, discouraging games such as dodge ball and tag because they encourage "bullying", the stopping of baseball games after one team is ahead by ten runs, etc etc.   These warm and fuzzy attitudes have their place, until the young ins grow up and enter the work force

Imbued with the win-win philosophy, would be managers have their veins filled with the idea that confrontation is a negative.   Someones feelings will get hurt.  I submit that confrontation can be a positive.  IDeas and performance can be approached directly -- in the full light of day. Honesty prevails... and a sense of trust is established when all the facts are lay ed on the table.  Yes, confrontation can be an effective management tool when used effectively.

Which brings us to combativeness.  Confrontation is not combativeness.  Combativeness is the destruction of another person's ego, self esteem and pride.   The victor wants to take no prisoners.  At its core, the combative manager is a warrior rather than a problem solver.  Short term or long term consequences be dammed-- it is his way or the high way. The combatant style destroys, in the long run the parties involved and the organization.

IN summary, let's hone our confrontation skills as a way to constructively solve problems: and recognize combativeness as a self destructive tactic.