The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management

Book excerpt: Conflict is certain to show up in any school, so how do you as the leader know how to respond or when to intervene? Disagreements, friction, and even outright hostility are a common and unavoidable result of people working together, and not all conflict is necessarily bad; it can also provide an opportunity to learn and grow. Whether the situation involves students, parents, or staff, school leadership expert Jen Schwanke has specific advice to help you navigate conflict within a three-step cycle of decision making: * Anticipate and recognize different patterns of conflict. * Analyze the underlying causes and effects of any given conflict. * Act—or choose not to act—in a way that best helps the school. Managing conflict is a critical leadership skill that you can learn to accept, embrace, and make a healthy and productive part of your role. The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management describes the mindset skills you need and provides scenarios, strategies, and reflection activities to help you manage all kinds of conflict with clarity and confidence.