Creating pressure in an organization requires confrontation, and it can get very intense, very emotional. I’ve seen coaches avoid confrontations with their players because they don’t like conflict, and I assume the same thing is true among the leaders of business teams. But I’ve actually come to relish confrontation, not because it makes me feel powerful but because it provides an opportunity to get things straight with people. It’s not until you look people right in the eye that you get to the sources of their behavior and motivation. Without confrontation, you’re not going to change the way they think and act.