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it to court. Americans in particular seem to have a strong preference for
litigation. For example, we had approximately one lawyer for every 265
residents in the U.S. in 2013, compared to one for every 8,200 residents in
Japan. But litigation frequently results in an unhappy settlement for one or

maybe both of the parties.

Probably the most effective and sustainable means for resolving conflict is
through negotiation, which will be discussed in the next section of this
chapter.

Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by
peaceful means. Ronald Reagan.

Given that conflict is unavoidable, either with personal relationships or
within or between organizations, leaders need to have an effective skill for

dealing with it in a way that improves a personal or work situation. The
desired outcome is a satisfactory resolution or minimization of the conflict
or disagreement. Additionally, it is the role of leadership to facilitate the
acquisition of conflict resolution skills among all the members of the
organization. A commitment to positive conflict resolution should be at

the core of the organization’s culture.

As was previously stated, conflict does not have to be a negative
experience. Certain kinds or levels of conflict are healthy. If no conflict
existed, ideas would not be examined thoroughly, different points of view

would not be considered, and the decisions that emerged probably would
not be as innovative. Groups may reach consensus quickly in the absence
of conflict, but in doing so may fail to consider all the alternatives and
thereby miss some beneficial solutions. A leader can’t be innovative
without understanding the role of conflict in coming up with new ideas.

Self-Awareness

Clearly, conflict resolution is an important competency of good leadership.

However, this competency, like so many other leadership competencies,
can only be acquired by mastering a set of relevant skills and approaching
a conflict with a positive attitude and a respect for the other party.

David Kolzow 152