How Leaders Can Prevent and Navigate Conflict at Work

Relationships at Work - the leadership podcast helping you build workplace connection, improve culture, and avoid blind spots.

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4d ago 46:21

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Conflict doesn’t always show up as yelling matches or angry emails. Sometimes it’s silence in a meeting, a passive-aggressive Slack message, or the word “fine” said through gritted teeth.

In this replay episode of Relationships at Work, we’re digging into the real roots of workplace conflict—and how to better recognize, prevent, and resolve it.

I’m joined by Carol Bowser, a workplace conflict expert, mediator, speaker, and former employment lawyer who’s spent decades helping organizations navigate tough conversations. Together, we explore how conflict lives in hybrid and remote work environments, why “win-win” might set the wrong expectations, and how leaders can read the emotional room—even when it’s on Zoom.

You’ll learn:

Why trust breaks down before conflict shows up
How power dynamics and organizational culture shape tension
The one question every leader should be asking to avoid conflict escalation
What it actually means to resolve conflict (spoiler: it’s not always kumbaya)

If you’ve ever struggled to address tension on your team, felt unsure about when to step in—or stepped in too late—this episode is your leadership toolkit for navigating the uncomfortable with more clarity and connection.

Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human.

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