He agrees with the supervisor's opinion most of the time and is always doing nice things for him. He is not good at playing games and instead frequently engages in defensive behaviors in order to protect himself and protect his interests. Thomas has had some success by passing the buck and stalling. Thomas has decided to play it safe and engage in buffing if he has to. All of the above are variables that create dependency.
Coalitions are more likely to be created where there is interdependence.
It seems that your work group is in conflict much of the time. One colleague has suggested that you, as the supervisor, are responsible for eliminating the conflict so that they can work harmoniously. Another colleague has suggested that conflict is good for stimulating creativity and productivity. You are unsure about whether you should try to eliminate the conflict or learn to deal with it positively. You decide to do more research on the view that conflict should be encouraged as a means to achieve change and innovation.