Understanding how to cool down, slow down, and engage the naturally occurring
conflicts among team members is critical to the ultimate success of a team. With this
book, your team and its members will gain a deeper understanding of how conflict emerges
and how to respond in ways that will leverage conflicts to their advantage. Team members
will learn the importance of establishing a safe team climate, agreeing on processes to
guide interactions, and use of constructive communication skills in order to develop a
conflict competent team.
As the authors say, conflict is not to be avoided, but embraced and explored. This
often results in new, previously unimagined opportunities, solutions and results. The
authors include stories, interviews, and examples that provide entertaining and thought
provoking insights. They dedicate one chapter to techniques and processes for addressing
team conflict that has gone awry. Runde and Flanagan also include useful tips and tools
for assessing your team s current state of conflict competence and suggestions for
addressing the challenges of today s virtual and geographically dispersed teams.
Table of Contents
Preface.
1. A Team in Conflict.
2. Where Conflict Comes From, and Why It Is So Hard to Manage.
3. Creating the Right Climate.
4. Constructive Communication.
5. Techniques for Staying on Track.
6. Special Cases: Global and Virtual Teams.
7. Getting Started on the Road to Conflict Competence.
Epilogue.
Resources.
References.
The Authors.
Index.
256 pages, Hardcover