Leadership and Conflict

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe four roles that a leader might play with respect to conflict.
  2. Assess the effectiveness of leadership behavior exhibited in an illustrative academic situation.

"The hope of the world is that wisdom can arrest conflict between brothers. I believe that war is the deadly harvest of arrogant and unreasoning minds".

- Dwight Eisenhower

To lead a group successfully through conflict requires patience, good will, and determination. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall noted that leaders with low levels of defensiveness tend to help people in their organizations avert unnecessary strife because they are able to focus on understanding and dealing with challenges rather than on saving face or overcoming resistance from others in their groups. Bolton also wrote that employing power judiciously, displaying charisma, and employing effective communication skills can positively affect the way conflict is handled. In this section we will examine four general roles a leader may adopt with respect to preparing for inevitable instances of conflict. We will also provide an example of how one leader adopted the fourth role in a conflict situation.