From Chapter 1 — The Nature of Conflict

I target leaders because we are the shapers of experience, opportunity, and meaning in our workplaces and communities. The way leaders like you and I choose to see and relate to conflict has a direct impact on how others experience and then see conflict.

Most people have never experienced conflict as a positive event. Their entire life story may be reason enough to believe that conflict is always threatening and dangerous. As leaders, it’s important that we change that perception. You, as a leader, not only can experience conflict differently, but you also can change how those around you experience conflict. You can make conflict feel safer. You can turn it into a constructive experience. You can discover how it makes your organizations healthier, more creative, and more robust than ever before.