Can't we all just get along?
I worked in a group headed by one of those peacemakers. There is a real hidden cost to that, and it is that the conflict avoidance produces the exact opposite of what s/h wants. For example, we had some unreasonable and counterproductive folks in a group I was head of, setting up a large convention type gathering. There were a few people who either drug their feet, or were really intent on having their own way. When I would attempt to focus these folks, the Peacemaker would step in, wanting to avoid conflict, and since I was the "reasonable one" I was expected to cave on every demand so we wouldn't have conflict. So we ended up catering to folks who had more attitude than ability, with predictable bad results. I ended up moving on, and a profit making endeavor was eventually downsized and turned into a bit of an albatross.
