Topic: Conflict Competent Leadership

Facilitators: Tim Flanagan and Craig Runde from Eckerd College Leadership Development Institute.

Conflict is an inevitable fact of organizational life. While it has the potential to become destructive, conflict also contains within it the seeds of creativity and vitality. Conflict competent leaders know how to address it to make the most of the opportunities it presents, while at the same time preventing harmful outcomes.

During this highly participative session, the presenters will share research results from the Center for Creative Leadership, Eckerd College’s Leadership Development Institute, and leading conflict researchers from around the world that show why organizational conflict is so challenging. The presenters will share insights from their recent books regarding how people’s attitudes towards conflict affects their responses to it, and what types of behaviors effective leaders use to help their teams and organizations address conflict effectively. Additionally, they will review recent research linking perceived leadership effectiveness with one’s competence at handling conflict.