When I first took on my role as a Learning Technology Specialist, I was very focused on personal fulfillment and naturally inclined to work alone. My continued personal and professional growth has challenged my thinking as I am starting to see the role of collaboration in defining a vision, managing conflict, and influencing others. I'm starting to see the value of disagreement and healthy conflict in productive teams. For example, I have a coworker who always challenges my thoughts, opinions, and decisions. At first I saw this colleague as cold, indifferent and rude; however, over time, I began to realize that this person was essential to my professional growth and development. Unfortunately, my fear of conflict has prevented me from seeing that people with high relationship management skills realize the value and influence of others in laying the foundation for a productive life.