Any consideration of change that involves a variety of stakeholders is going to induce some degree of fear: feelings of uncertainty, powerlessness and perceived threats to interests, opportunities, status, resources.
Depending on the scope of the change considered, fear will manifest in friction and conflict.
If we personalize the conflict, the chances are great that the conflict will become destructive.
In terms of force-field analysis, opposing forces (driving forces for/restraining forces against change) come together to maintain the status quo. With this understanding, if you increase the strength of a driving force, for instance, the chances of change increase.
However, sometimes increasing a driving force will only serve to increase resistance and opposition. And, if the underlying conflict has been personalized, the risks for destruction will increase.
Conflict occurs in stages - sometimes in a more predictable order than others. At the stage of escalation, it is not unusual for additional layers of conflict to develop among driving or resistance forces themselves. Personalizing conflict at the escalation stage increases the potential for destructiveness exponentially.
This is the point where I scour the sky for the giant "Pause" button.
And then, I take a deep breath, listen and relax.
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