Conflict-Ready - by Megan L Hunter & Michael Lomax (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Every year, American organizations spend $365 billion on workplace conflict. Most of it is completely preventable.

The typical organization treats conflict like a building fire -- wait until something's burning, then scramble to put it out. The result is lost productivity, damaged relationships, legal exposure, leadership burnout, and a revolving door of talent that never seems to stop spinning.

There's a better way.

In Conflict-Ready, the experts at the High Conflict Institute -- who have trained thousands of leaders across corporations, small businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits -- reveal why reactive conflict management is a losing game, and what it looks like to build an organization that's prepared before the first spark flies.

This isn't about eliminating conflict. It's about baking a smarter, more proactive approach directly into your culture, your systems, and your leadership -- so that when high conflict personalities, charged situations, and difficult dynamics inevitably show up, your organization knows exactly what to do.

You'll learn how to recognize the patterns that escalate conflict before they explode, develop the organizational habits and structures that defuse tension early, equip your managers and HR teams with the skills of the most conflict-competent leaders, and shift your entire organization from firefighting mode to conflict-ready.

The organizations winning today aren't the ones that avoid conflict. They're the ones that are ready for it.

About the Author

Michael Lomax, JD, is an internationally recognized conflict resolution trainer, mediator, and senior faculty member at the High Conflict Institute. A former practicing attorney with more than two decades in law, he brings a uniquely structured, legally-grounded lens to workplace conflict -- helping HR professionals and leaders at all levels de-escalate tension, communicate under pressure, and build more resilient organizations.

With 25 years of experience training and coaching inside large, complex organizations, Michael understands conflict not just as a concept but as a daily operational reality. He is the co-author of Mediating High Conflict Disputes and a frequent co-host of the podcast It's All Your Fault!