Some problems are cultural. For example, a friend of mine moved from her home state of Alabama to New York. Working in a nonprofit group there, she felt people in her organization were always fighting and making fun of each other until she realized that the New York style of direct communication and brusque interchange is very different from the Southern style of gentle politeness. Sometimes problems arise from lack of clarity about how meetings are run. Someone who believes he should raise his hand and be recognized by the chair before speaking will feel unacknowledged and disrespected in a group where other people just speak up whenever they want.
Feelings are everywhere.
It was a helpful reminder that no matter how well intentioned we are, how good our political analysis, how sterling our history of work on the issue, we are still insecure and vulnerable and we can lash out at others who are similarly insecure. Add race, class, gender, sexual orientation and capitalism run amuck to the mix and you see where there could be some problems. If your organization doesn't have problems, it is not a group. Groups have problems. Ideally, they have new problems every so often, and they learn from their problems.