Resolving Conflicts on the Job, Second Edition

Preface to the Second Edition

Telling people how to think about conflict makes about as much sense as teaching dogs how to think about eating. By the time we are adults, we know a lot about conflict and know what we think about it. We face conflict every day—as we struggle within ourselves, and as we interact with family, friends, coworkers, and the rest of our world.

As adults, we have organized what we have learned about conflict into our own personal theories. We know what conflict is and where it comes from, what we think about it, and how we go about it. We know what works for us, and what doesn’t. We know when we should adhere to our theory and when we should try something else. We know when we are trying something else because we think it ...