Conflict is the unfortunate sum of all discord; of needs, expectations, goals, values, means, perceptions, and styles.

A
life skill, important yet often ignored, that leaders must possess is the ability to manage conflict.
When not managed, conflict can drive organisations unknowingly into an intractable condition where nobody knows
what the cause is, though some pretend they do; its like some hidden assassin waiting to strike at you, much like
cancer, as WH Auden observed.
Anthropology teaches us that since the days man has been a hunter gatherer he has always been ready for a fight. A
pugnacious belligerence coupled with an intrinsically acquisitive nature has been embedded in the very DNA of
mankind. It is no surprise that almost all organisations see conflicts simmer and erupt, leaving a corrosive impact on
constituents concerned.
A leader who is alive to the nature and impact of conflict in workspaces helps proactively mitigate them. A significant
aspect is to ensure that the organisation moves from individual goals to a state of alignment where there is shared
vision and values; when you feel like one, there are no sides to take.
Leaders enable a common ground, with constant communication, where conflicting individuals are also able to see
complementary strengths that provide a win-win position rather than a zero-sum state. A natural corollary is that
creating a culture that binds teams together is squarely dependent on a cohesive management. It is equally vital to
ensure that discussions are fact-based and lead with composure and calmness, and resolutions are enforced.
Lao Tzus Tao Te Ching, a classic on wisdom in action written in the fourth century, highlights that in situations of
conflict, the wise leaders touch is light, and they shun force when it is not required. The leader delineates the two
roles he needs to play: the Doer, who has power and decision making ability and the Healer, who is open, receptive
and nourishing which, in essence, is being.
When differences crop up, the leader avoids egocentricity and emphasises being than just doing, and mitigates
differences. It is critical that action is taken swiftly and decisively with innate understanding of the origins of
disconnect.
Conflict is invariably an output of social interactions and interdependence. When recognised as inevitable inside
organisations, yet actionable, proactive cognisance and mitigation can be enabled. Left to simmer, things can go from
bad to worse.
To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence, observed Sun Tzu in The Art of War. Conflicts are
handled differently by different leaders and organisations. Jack Welch championed the cause of creative decision
making at GE using the innate disagreements and conflicts, channelling it to reach collaborative outcomes.
Ernst & Young, for instance, focuses on shared values, cascading them across the organisation to enhance common
purpose and mitigate likely sources of disconnect. An organisations culture that allows debate, contrarian thinking,
and free flow of feedback, where business goals take precedence over personal issues, enables open and
constructive ways of working, reducing prospective dissonances.
However, leaders must also be willing at times to wield the pink slip when the cause for conflicts is beyond
redemption. Let us recall Matschs Law: Its better to have a horrible ending than to have horrors without end.