Kara Lawson (@karalawson20) said, "Conflict is a pivotal part of a successful team."
— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) March 18, 2026
"You commit to one another, so, when there is conflict, you can move past it."
Constructive conflict builds stronger teams.
It leads to better decision making and relationships. pic.twitter.com/a6ywDG8z2n
Kara Lawson said it simply: “Conflict is a pivotal part of a successful team.”
And more importantly: “You commit to one another, so when there is conflict, you can move past it.”
Conflict isn’t the problem. Unresolved conflict is.
Conflict Happens Every Day
We think of conflict as arguments. It’s not. Conflict shows up in quieter moments: “I don’t feel like doing this drill.” “I should sprint, but I won’t.” “I want playing time, but I'm not into it today." That’s conflict.
Nick Saban says it best: "The challenge is doing what you should do when you don’t want to - and not doing what you shouldn’t do when you want to."
The “Get To” Shift
Part of resolving conflict is language.
“I get to set up equipment so we start on time.”
“I get to clean up the bench because it’s our responsibility.”
“I get to practice hard because I’m part of something bigger.”
“Have to” creates resistance. “Get to” creates ownership.
Talent Creates Conflict
Strong teams are deep. Upperclassmen. Underclassmen. Every position. That’s a good thing. It also guarantees conflict.
Because competitors want to play, want to improve, want to win. Tension shapes edges.
If there’s no tension, there’s no edge.
The Right Kind of Competitor
Adam Grant, in Give and Take, describes three types:
Takers - look out for themselves
Matchers - keep score
Givers - invest in others
The surprising finding: Givers can finish first or last. The difference?
Ambition. The best are ambitious givers who compete, push, demand, and lift others. They make the team better while getting better.
What Exceptional Teams Do
They don’t avoid conflict. They embrace it. Competition sharpens practice. Accountability builds trust. Honest conversations strengthen relationships.
And over time, conflict becomes connection.
Closing Ideas
Every player faces a choice. Avoid conflict, stay comfortable, stay the same. Engage conflict, grow, help the team grow.
Resolve it the right way - daily, quietly, consistently. Because the teams that handle conflict best…
Those teams are still playing when it matters most.
Lagniappe. "Nothing."
