Leading Through Conflict: How Successful Leaders Transform Differences into Opportunities

by Mark Gerzon

As our world grows smaller, opportunities for conflict multiply. Ethnic, religious, political, and personal differences drive people apart—with potentially disastrous consequences—and it's the task of perceptive leaders to bring them together again World-renowned mediation expert Mark Gerzon argues that leaders have failed to rise to this challenge. Our organisations, schools, and governments remain filled with divisive dictators and everyday managers, instead of what he calls mediators—leaders who transform conflict so that everyone can move forward together. Through absorbing examples drawn from decades of work with organisational, political, and global conflicts of all kinds, Leading Through Conflict provides a powerful new framework for the leader as mediator, and outlines eight specific tools these leaders use to transform seemingly intractable differences into progress on deep-seated problems. Both practical and passionate, this book makes the tools of cross-border leaders accessible to anyone who wants to help create healthier companies, communities, and countries.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Nonfiction, Management, Communication

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 2006

Reviews

[一般 · Rating 3 out of 5]

調停者的力量：除了嗜戰的煽動家、自利的管理人，你還有第3種選擇！。馬克‧葛容著。
關鍵在領導者的價值與選擇
本書將領導者分為三類：操弄差異的“煽動者”、侷限我群利益的“管理人”、整合分裂的“調停者”。
強調調停者的重要性，起因於時代的需求。作者說：“如果跨界衝突極為罕見，那麼無論這個組織的本質或規模是什麼，躲在組織‘邊界’上或躲在後方領導或許就已經足夠了。但......世界正在迅速轉變，多元化和變動已經成為常態。科技不斷演變，決策變得遠比過去複雜。跨界衝突──跨越文化、經濟、宗教、族裔和意識型態的界線，如今非常普遍了。在這樣的世界，調停領導變得絕對重要。”就因為今日的領導更常要回應衝突、化解衝突，所以本書的英文書名是Leading Through Conflict：How successful Leaders Transform Differences into Opportunities.(穿越衝突的領導：成功的領袖如何化差異為轉機)。
由於所見的領導多是豬頭，無可期待。因此，我把這本書當作個人修養的書來看。因為任何形式的人際交往都是種權力競爭，其關鍵即在於衝突的解決。書中所列八項“調停者的工具”：宏觀視野、系統思考、完全洞悉、探究詢問、有意識交談、對話、搭建橋樑、創新。前四項著重在了解問題，第五到第七項著重在溝通，最後一項則是解決問題。我認為，這些方法與個人決策時的思考歷程很相似，也頗為合理。
但我想，最重要的問題反而是書中沒有提到的，也就是領導者或決策者的價值觀問題。要做一個煽動者或管理人或調停者，關鍵還在自己的“選擇”，而選擇則是依據領導者或決策者的價值和需求。多數領導之所以是豬頭，是因為他們多半以自己的利益為考量核心。不是沒有好的工具或他們不知道該怎麼思考，而是他們根本意不在解決問題，在衝突中稱機奪利才是他們的選擇，他們的價值。這種豬頭，你就算跟他們講再多領導學、管理學也是無用的。

[Ziya Uluyol]

İnançlı kişi kendisi için istediğini kardeşi için de ister.

[Bledar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful secular resource in conflict resolution that was assigned to me in a faith-based institution. Highly recommended.

[Barry Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating, in-depth yet practical book on leadership and conflict. The author begins by describing the three main types of leaders: Demagogues (lead through fear, scapegoating and overwhelming others), Managers (use a limited definition of “we,” typically protecting their home turf) and Mediators (seek to act on behalf of all to innovate and transform conflict).
According to Gerzon and his colleagues, the Mediator possesses and applies eight tools (each has a chapter dedicated to describing the tool with specific examples from business, industry, government, etc.). They are:
• Integral Vision – holding all sides of the conflict in our minds and hearts.
• Systems Thinking – identifying as many of significant elements in the conflict as possible and seeking to understand their interrelationships.
• Presence – applying all mental, emotional and spiritual resources to witnessing the conflict.
• Inquiry – asking questions to elicit essential information about the conflict.
• Conscious Conversation – becoming fully aware of all of our choices for speaking and listening.
• Dialogue – communicating to seek bridging and innovation among those involved.
• Bridging – building partnerships and alliances across the borders that divide us.
• Innovation – fostering social or entrepreneurial breakthroughs to create new options.
The book concludes with a short chapter suggesting specific actions that can and should be taken to improve all our abilities in managing and using conflict, as well as a short appendix (designed to be turned to right away if the reader is embroiled in a crisis and needs answers before spending time in theory) that describes 15 steps Gerzon calls “Guidelines in Times of Crisis

An extraordinary book, with significant insights on leadership and the impact of and opportunity in conflict.

[alex-and-r · Rating 2 out of 5]

Книга полезная. Но дочитал я ее с трудом, т. к. приходится продираться через просто неимоверное количество воды! Закончив ее, я понял, как себя чувствовали золотодобытчики во времена золотой лихорадки: перебираешь тонны пустой породы, чтобы найти буквально крупицы действительно полезных мыслей и рекомендаций.
Возможно это связано с тем, что книга "американская" и для подобных книг считается нормальным пережевывать одну и ту же мысль в сотнях и сотнях цитат, "жизненных" историй, примеров из опыта автора, оставляющих после себя ощущение, что попал на проповедь какого-то третьесортного миссионера, но... У-ТОМ-ЛЯ-ЕТ!
Полагаю, книгу легко сократить раз в 10 без потери ценности: оставить введение, по паре абзацев из первых трех глав, приложения к главам про инструменты и заключительные приложения. Все остальное? Ну не знаю...

[Roshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did a workshop with the author in grad school and liked it so wanted to read his book. Ok, so he gave me an autographed copy and my Catholic guilt ensured I had to read it or feel forever disrespectful. Can't claim to have "enjoyed it" but it did take me back to grad school leadership courses - "see the whole table", "go to the balcony" - and so some ensuing gratitude for the walk down memory lane. Useful too.

[Michael Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A high-quality and important book. All books from HBS Press tend to be, which is pretty impressive.

Some great tools and a process for conflict resolution. And, lets face it, that is what managers do all day long.

I may not be patient enough these days. If something is important I can no-longer be bothered beating all around the bushes and watering it down to appease all parties. Older and grumpier...

[Conlon Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

I never accepted conflict. People "opposed" to a project, policy, or proposal needed to be brought onboard. People who "opposed" my career needed to go to lunch and talk through commonality of purpose. Always take the high road. Always.

An airport book presuming a model of human nature which I did not share.

[John George · Rating 2 out of 5]

was ok, a good 6 point plan of how to attack conflict. Rating depends on if you are looking for something because you are stuck in something.. I was not so this seemed normal management steps and so the rating

[Rusty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This came at a very key time when everything around me had been totally transformed. I picked up some nuggets on organizational change.

[David Dalka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discusses the important case of GM plant in California that was worst performing - then Toyota ran it and it became best performing.

good quotes in front of chapters

[Lori Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read book on leadership for knowledge workers, managers, directors, C-levels, and entrepreneurs.

[Elizabeth]

As seen in FYI: For Your Improvement.

[Jiri Mocicka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book about transforming difficult times into incredible opportunities ... An agreement is not the commitment that leads to clarity and happy delivery.