In today’s highly charged, often-divided workplace, the ability to navigate conflicts constructively has become a critical leadership competency. Rather than viewing discord as something to be avoided at all costs. The most effective leaders understand that skillfully resolving tensions can be a catalyst for deepening trust. This approach also boosts collaboration and drives innovation.
As an executive coach, I’ve helped the leaders I work with realize that they don’t need to rely on generic conflict resolution platitudes. Instead, I’ve guided them in leveraging a set of psychologically-informed strategies that I believe every forward-thinking leader should have in their toolkit.
Cultivate “Conflict Curiosity”: Successful leaders approach disagreements with genuine curiosity. They do not see conflicts as threats. Instead, they view them as opportunities to uncover hidden insights, challenge entrenched assumptions, and strengthen interpersonal bonds. This curious mindset creates psychological safety for productive, generative dialogues.
Weaponize Empathy: The best conflict navigators actively weaponize empathy to disarm tense situations. They demonstrate a profound ability to step into the shoes of all parties involved. They validate their feelings and find common ground, even amidst intense disagreement.
Engineer “Collision Spaces” The most innovative leaders deliberately engineer “collision spaces” that bring adversaries together in unexpected ways. Whether it’s a weekend retreat, a collaborative project, or a series of structured dialogues. These immersive experiences can break down barriers and foster mutual understanding.
Flip the Org Chart: When teams are locked in unproductive power struggles, the true masters of conflict resolution know when to temporarily flip the org chart. They empower frontline employees to take the lead in resolving the issues that impact them most directly. This distributed problem-solving approach can yield far more durable, impactful solutions.
Introduce Playful Disruption: Some of the most effective leaders have found clever ways to introduce an element of playful disruption into tense situations. Whether it’s injecting humor, incorporating interactive exercises, or transforming the physical environment. These strategies can help diffuse high-stakes dynamics and open people up to unexpected breakthroughs.
By mastering these unconventional conflict resolution strategies, you’ll not only improve your team’s ability to navigate discord, but also foster a culture of psychological safety, innovation, and empowerment. The true mark of leadership is the capacity to transform adversity into advantage.
Lead from Within: Conflict is the crucible in which the most resilient, high-performing teams are forged, and leaders are tested and strengthened.
#1 N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- How to Build a Team That Resolves Conflict Effectively
- 12 Phrases That Will Help You Resolve Any Conflict
- How The Best Leaders Resolve Conflicts Within Their Teams
- What to Do When Your Boss Is the Conflict
- How To Effectively Resolve Interpersonal Conflicts In The Workplace
- How The Best Leaders Handle Team Conflict Successfully
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.