How do I stop making decisions just to avoid conflict?

You have confused a quiet team with a well-led one. They are not the same. Choosing the option that stirs the least resistance keeps the peace today and quietly steers you away from what is actually right. Over time, everyone learns that the way to move you is to push back hard enough. Good leadership is not the absence of friction. Sometimes the right call is the unpopular one, and part of your job is to absorb the discomfort that comes with it rather than route around it. A leader who only ever chooses the path of least resistance is not really steering; they are being steered by whoever complains loudest. Think of one recent decision you softened to avoid backlash. Ask yourself what you would have chosen if resistance were not a factor. That answer is your compass. Next time, decide from there first, then work on how to bring people with you — but do not let the fear of pushback pick the destination.