Conflict Capable Solutions

12/09/2025

👎 AI can't do it. It can't mitigate conflict or resolve it.

Yes, you can try it, but your "solutions" won't last.

LinkedIn published an article earlier this year, "LinkedIn Skills on the Rise 2025: The 15 fastest-growing skills in the U.S." https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-skills-rise-2025-15-fastest-growing-us-linkedin-news-hy0le/

We all know that AI is #1.

#2 Conflict Mitigation

Our founder often discusses how the singular pursuit of resolution is flawed, as she did here: https://lnkd.in/gK2mayfp.

Mitigation means reducing the harm conflict causes by giving people the tools they need to navigate it independently.

Thriving workplaces demand new approaches to the old problem that is conflict.

I invite you and your colleagues to participate in our new virtual training for managers: Guide Your Team to Navigate Conflict Independently.

This focused program is designed to help leaders significantly reduce the time they spend mediating disputes by teaching them strategies to coach employees toward self-sufficiency in conflict resolution.

Training Format
▶️ Three 60-minute weekly virtual sessions
▶️ One 45-minute individual coaching session

Dates are available in January and February.

Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/g2iMSzXu.

See the 2025 Skills on the Rise list, LinkedIn’s data-backed ranking of the 15 skills to invest in right now.

08/25/2025

Conflict is not trouble; it's information.

There's ample space between zero and resolved.

Perfect resolution is a myth we learned as kids, which has poisoned how we approach conflict today.

When conflict erupted and reactions were activated, we heard, "Go tell them you're sorry."

➡️ Insert snotty/disingenuous "Sorry" here.

The problem is, we didn't know what we were sorry about, and perhaps didn't even know if we were, in fact, remorseful.

We just knew we were "in trouble," and to fix it, we only had to say one word.

At work, isn't it the same way? Conflict means we are "in trouble."

To avoid further trouble, we have to resolve it perfectly and on our first attempt.

There's so much information between zero and resolution. There's information about the people, relationship dynamics, and unspoken norms.

There's information about where things went awry, and the parts of the workplace culture that contributed to that.

We don't have to rush, nor do we need to feel bad about taking our time.

If we've been stuck in a trap of poor communication, or no communication at all, we can't expect full resolution on our first try.

Instead, let's expect to uncover information that gives us insight into how to approach our subsequent conversations.

We can shift our workplace norms to transform how we perceive conflict.

Let's try this: conflict gets us information we couldn't get otherwise.

No more being in trouble.


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Want to see what happens when teams face conflict with confidence? Let’s make it happen. Visit our website to learn more: www.conflictcapable.com.

06/07/2024

Are you curious about this conflict capable thing and how you can learn these skills?

📢 We're excited to announce the upcoming Conflict Capable Leadership Cohort session, starting on July 16th.

Join the journey and learn more here:

Conflict Capable Leadership Cohort Conflict Capable leaders impact everything.The next cohort begins July 16th, 2024.Join the virtual Conflict Capable Leadership Cohort alongside dynamic leaders from outside your organization and gain priceless perspectives to grow your leadership skills.Here’s so...

05/28/2024

Hop over to LinkedIn and read our latest newsletter.

05/16/2024

Let's add to this excellent list of ways HR can ensure conversations remain civil from Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, whom we saw deliver a dynamic, informative, and humorous keynote last week at the Twin Cities SHRM (TCSHRM) conference.

The ideas on this list are excellent but may lack the foundation needed to succeed.

#1 Give people explicit guidelines for what the culture expects them to do to approach difficult conversations, provide training in those skills, and ensure that behavior is modeled and rewarded.

Organizations have processes for everything, down to how to make coffee. However, no proactive instructions or processes are provided regarding conflict and civility. We can't put everyone in the fish bowl and expect them to "figure it out because they are adults."

Research shows that people experience the workplace as primarily a social construct, and we know our brains crave certainty. It's crucial to note that most HR professionals have never had any conflict resolution training, yet the conflict is often sent to them to figure out.

People don't know what to do.

What would you add to the list?

05/06/2024

Not good enough. Not good enough to just say, "Let's promote civility."

It's not just saying, 'Let's promote civility.' The real power lies in providing clear, actionable instructions on achieving this.

It's about being clear, strategic, and outcomes-driven. It's not about aspirations alone.

Telling people to scream at each other when conflict occurs is better than giving them no direction.

You-have-to-tell-them-how-to-do-it.

07/14/2023

The most important part of getting good at approaching conflict is what you can accomplish, not what you can undo.

04/28/2023

What happens if you focus on the disagreement?

Not much.

You'll say what you think they did and you'll say what you think you didn't do.

They'll say what they think you did and argue with you because they think you've invalidated what happened.

You'll spend a lot of time defending your character, listing off all of the reasons you are a "good" person who would never do or say that.

They'll become defensive because you won't admit that you said or did the thing they said you did. Then, they'll begin to defend their character.

You'll both feel terrible and make no progress.

We have been approaching conflict the wrong way. Let's innovate!

Here's the new scene:

"I know we disagreed about __________________, what would progress look like in this conversation?"

or

"I know it has been challenging working together recently. What would progress look like in our working relationship?"

Let them respond. Is this awkward at first? Obviously!

The alternative is not better:

"When you said/did this and I said/did this..."

or

"All I said was and you..."

When we lead with an abundance mindset, we have somewhere to go.

Asking what progress would look like means you believe the person's experience and are interested in forward momentum.

It becomes easier to have tough conversations when you are grounded in your own motivation: forward momentum.

So, what would progress look like for you? 👇

04/21/2023

During conflict situations, if you find yourself saying or thinking...

🚫"They're just difficult."
🚫"That's just how they are."
🚫"They always..."
🚫 "They never..."
..it means you gave up on people. It means that they are frozen in time. There's no opportunity here.

Instead, what if you saw their behavior as a lack of skills?

Since most people have never had one minute of conflict resolution skills training, we can see this as an area where people can grow.

Most people are making it up as they go. In workplaces, the stakes are high. Everyone's productivity and behaviors are tied to their paycheck.

When we see everything through the lens of choices and personality, we're trapped.

When we see things as a lack of skills, we have abundance. That's a problem we can solve.

The focus on personalities keeps us in our limitations. The focus on skills is limitless.

🔵 Have you ever had a fixed mindset toward someone? How did that affect your ability to work with them?

04/17/2023