Brainstorming, Conflict Resolution and Team Dynamics Introduction Working in teams is, by its very nature, both difficult and rewarding. Team members bring differing viewpoints to a project, which can be very valuable, but they can also bring conflicting values, prejudices and opinions, which can sometimes result in conflicts. This paper considers both the benefits and challenges of working in teams, as well as how teams can enhance their performance. Discussion This paper is in part an expansion of an earlier work than considered brainstorming techniques and how they could apply to conflict resolution. The draft explored various brainstorming methods in detail, including asking unexpected questions to get people really thinking “outside the box,” a technique that apparently has great success. The earlier draft then considered how people could approach conflict resolution; again, there are recognized techniques that have been used for some time, including the “4 R‟s,” the “A E I O U” method; and negotiation. This paper builds on what has already been learned to consider conflict resolution in connection with team dynamics; as well as the challenges of working in teams and improving team performance. If teams are to function well, they must avoid what one source calls “five natural but dangerous pitfalls,” which are “absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results” (Conflict resolution in a dysfunctional team environment, 2005). An absence of trust comes from people‟s reluctance to be “vulnerable within the group” (Conflict resolution in a dysfunctional team environment, 2005). Unfortunately, such a lack of trust can have s