Conflict occurs when a person experiences that his or her initiatives are being threatened or are about to be threatened; conflict may be real or perceived. Conflict is not necessarily a dysfunctional event; a desire to achieve excellence may create conflict but can stimulate creative work. But when conflicts are dysfunctional, they drain energy and reduce the chances of achieving useful outcomes. Conflict can ruin the effectiveness of groups. Unless conflicts are resolved, groups may seem to work together but will fail to achieve any meaningful outcomes. Here are 12 antecedent conditions that are associated with conflict: 1. When survival is in question. 2. When allocation of scarce resources is competitive. 3. When there is concern for personal rather than group welfare. 4. When I or my group may be excluded from an initiative. 5. When power or control is uncertain--jurisdictions are ambiguous. 6. When personal goals are diverse. 7. When ideologies clash. 8. When there are barriers to communication. 9. When emotions are high. 10. When conflict is expected. 11. When I have not decided that working together is more important than preserving my independence. 12. When there is a history of unresolved conflicts. From these 12 points derived from general concepts of human behavior, it must be apparent that the health care culture has enormous capacity for serious conflict. This forest is tinder dry and just waiting to burst into flame. This environment is an arsonist's dream