Traditionally, it has been viewed that conflict obstructs decision making: It can destroy a team's efforts to share information and reach a consensus, but more recently, researchers have found that conflict can improve decision quality and promote understanding. What most managers fail to do is distinguish between cognitive conflict, which is task-oriented, and affective conflict, which focuses on emotions and arises from personal incompatibilities. Conflict among top management teams with a variety of skills, knowledge bases, abilities and perspectives, when kept cognitive, can lead to productive debate and ultimately, superior decisions. This kind of conflict is functional and strategic. Affective conflict on the other hand leads to distrust, suspicion and hostility. It obstructs the exchange of information, erodes commitment and leads to disengaged employees. Seeing decisions implemented are not a top priority for disengaged members. Affective conflict is altogether dysfunctional.