Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader - (J-B CCL (Center for Creative Leadership)) 2nd Edition by Craig E Runde & Tim A Flanagan (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The Second Edition of this classic resource on conflict resolution combines research, conceptual models, practitioner experience, and stories that highlight the core conflict competencies. The book underscores the importance for leaders to develop the critical skills they need to help them, their colleagues, and their organizations deal more effectively with conflict and move their organizations forward. This new edition expands on the conflict competence model, includes new tools and techniques, shows how to develop conflict competent teams and organizations, and offers a new online assessment.

From the Back Cover

Dealing effectively with conflict is difficult for any leader. Poorly managed conflict creates enormous costs in the form of wasted management time, high turnover, and lawsuits, not to mention the failure to leverage the naturally occurring differences that can drive creativity, innovation, and invention. How can leaders develop the skills to get the best out of conflict?

The second edition of Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader shows leaders how to implement constructive approaches to conflict while avoiding strategies that lead to destructive outcomes. The book combines research, conceptual models, practitioner experience, and stories that highlight the core conflict competencies. Authors Tim Flanagan and Craig Runde describe constructive behaviors and proven approaches that leaders can employ, tactics and reactions to avoid, and insights for ensuring that organizational structures support positive approaches to conflict management and resolution.

The revised edition of this classic resource features two completely new chapters: one that addresses the Cool Down, Slow Down and Reflect, and Engage Constructively model and one that offers guidance for conflict in teams. The authors have updated examples throughout the book, added references to recent research, and included a new constructive behavior, Listening for Understanding, along with many new suggestions for "staying in the zone." Other enhancements, such as tips and exercises at the end of each chapter, make this edition user friendly as a personal resource or a text for teaching others.

Keep up with new developments in conflict competent leadership at the authors' Web site: www.conflictcompetent.com.

Review Quotes

"An amazingly comprehensive collection of designs, options, examples, and techniques on how to move from conflict avoidance to constructive resolution."
--Jim Kouzes, coauthor, The Leadership Challenge

Praise for Craig E. Runde and Tim A. Flanagan's Books

Building Conflict Competent Teams

"A comprehensive, thoroughly researched guide to the crucial and inevitable role conflict plays on a team."
--Patrick Lencioni, author, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

"Conflict happens on the best of teams. Building Conflict Competent Teams shows team leaders as well as team members how to constructively tackle the challenges that come when people disagree. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to lead, or belong to, a high-performing team."
--Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One Minute Manager and The One Minute Entrepreneur

"Runde and Flanagan have put together a clear, well-written guide to the nature and sources of conflict that arise in teams and, more important, how to maximize the chances that conflict turns out to be the good thing that teams thrive on instead of the bad thing that destroys team performance."
--Douglas Smith, author, The Wisdom of Teams

Developing Your Conflict Competence

"A must-have guidebook for the new age of global business. This book shows every leader how to turn feelings of fear into feelings of safety, suspicion into trust, and competitiveness into collaboration."
--Jim Kouzes, coauthor of the bestselling book The Leadership Challenge

"Craig Runde and Tim Flanagan use their vast experience to give us Developing Your Conflict Competence. Move beyond negative workplace conflict to positive and constructive outcomes with the simple tools and suggestions in this must-read field guide!"
--Marshall Goldsmith, bestselling author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There, Succession: Are You Ready, and MOJO

About the Author

CRAIG E. RUNDE is director of the Center for Conflict Dynamics at Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida.

TIM A. FLANAGAN is co-owner of Custom Leadership Solutions, St. Petersburg, Florida, and senior fellow at the Center for Conflict Dynamics.

They are the coauthors of the first edition of Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader, Building Conflict Competent Teams, and Developing Your Conflict Competence.