Informed i’s Weekly Business Insights
Extractive summaries and key takeaways from the articles carefully curated from TOP TEN BUSINESS MAGAZINES to promote informed business decision-making | Since 2017 | Week 405 | June 13-19, 2025 | Archive
The Conflict-Intelligent Leader
By Peter T. Coleman | Harvard Business Review Magazine | July–August 2025 Issue
3 key takeaways from the article
- A recent Society for Human Resource Management survey of 1,622 U.S. workers showed that 76% had witnessed acts of incivility in the past month, with 21% experiencing it personally. Polarization and increased incivility have put CEOs under intense scrutiny too. Today their every utterance risks backlash from employees, customers, politicians, or all three. But in this era leaders are often expected to wade into the fray.
- The author’s research reveals that leaders need four core competencies to navigate conflict. Self-awareness and self-regulation; Competency, strong social-conflict skills; Situational adaptivity; and Systemic wisdom. Leaders who demonstrate the four core competencies have what the authors call a high conflict-intelligence quotient (CIQ).
- Seven principles that are particularly helpful in volatile situations: Lay the Groundwork. Grow Rapport. Balance Discipline with Creativity. Master Adaptivity. Leverage the Broader Context. Aim for Generational Peace. And Be Optimistic.
(Copyright lies with the publisher)
Topics: Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Negotiation Skills, Decision-making
Click to read the extractive summary of the article- nistic. The most profound negotiation breakthroughs often happen because of something unexpected—a surprise emotional encounter, unanticipated common ground, or a crisis that reveals a shared problem. Skilled mediators learn to watch for emotional turning points, informal channels, surprising areas of alignment, and other subtle opportunities that can transform conflicts.
The most significant challenge for business leaders is transforming the organizational culture to empower employees at all levels to manage disputes effectively. By embedding conflict resolution skills throughout the ranks, leaders can ensure that their organizations thrive even in the face of internal tensions. That means moving beyond seeing conflict as something to be avoided and framing it as a potential source of energy, innovation, and growth. That shift begins with creating safe, facilitated spaces for difficult conversations about sensitive issues in order to normalize the idea that conflict, when handled well, drives improvement rather than destruction.
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