PODCAST: Conflict, and how disagreement doesn’t have to be disagreeable
Summary: Conflict is not inherently bad. In the workplace, it rarely turns into yelling and shouting, yet we all tend to avoid or mismanage conflict. Why?
Written by Darin Fox Released 20 Jul 2020

Conflict is not inherently bad. In the workplace, it rarely turns into yelling and shouting, yet we all tend to avoid or mismanage conflict. Why?

In Episode six of the Fastleader podcast, Darin Fox, Chief Research Officer at HFL, asks consultant Tracey McGrath and our CEO, Alistair Gordon, to explore four questions:

  • If conflict is usually “not as bad as I’d expected”, why do we continue to avoid it, or panic if conflict is imminent?

  • How can conflict be useful?

  • How can you manage conflict effectively?

  • How does conflict lead to personal growth, self-awareness and insight into others?

We also discuss five approaches to take to address conflict:

  1. Avoid

  2. Accommodate

  3. Compete

  4. Compromise

  5. Collaborate

Key quotes

  • “One of the things we fear the most is being thrown out of the herd”

  • “Conflict is an essential skill for success, both professionally and personally”

  • “Our reaction to feedback is the single most important factor for success in life.”

  • “Compromise is the easiest way to make a bad decision”

  • “Disagreement doesn’t mean disagreeable”

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Show notes

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More resources: the Fastleaders homepage

Created by Fastlead, AsiaPac’s pioneer of small group leadership coaching. Hosted by Darin Fox, Chief Research Officer.

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Tracey McGrath, founder of Tracey McGrath International.

Alistair Gordon, CEO of HFL and Fastlead.

Darin Fox, Chief Research Officer of HFL and Fastlead.

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