Chapter 19: How to Manage Workplace Conflict Through Intelligent Conversations and Conflict Management Tools: For Executives, Leaders, Managers, and Practitioners

As social creatures, humans spend a lot of time talking with, to, and at each other. Infants respond to the spoken word and quickly learn to communicate desires, needs, and wants through nonverbal gestures to attain what they want or need. Ironically, given the deep importance of effective communication, other than learning the rules of grammar, few people ever receive formal training about how to communicate in a way that helps them understand the true meanings of words used in everyday conversations. It seems as if people are generally satisfied with superficial dialogue, which is supported by Glaser’s (2014) claim that 9 out of 10 conversations miss the mark. Green (2017) also notes that even though words are clearly uttered, the meanings of the words are often misinterpreted. The resultant effect is that poor or failed communication regularly leads to conflicted emotions that ultimately disrupt relationships and lead to inefficient workplace environments (Dana, 2006; Fisher & Shapiro, 2006).