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Conflict is a normal part of everyday life – and that applies to professional work environments. When you were an employee, you may have been able to put your blinders on and focus on your work instead of getting involved in office politics. As a leader though, you know that you have a responsibility to foster healthy relationships between your team members.

You walk back to your desk, frustrated, disappointed, and confused. You should've been given the lead on that project. At your last one-on-one meeting with your manager, you discussed your desire for more responsibility, and they assured you that you’d have that opportunity. So why had you been passed over—again?

Name the employee you anticipate will step into a significant leadership role in your company. What if you scheduled a leadership training seminar through Front Line Leadership and he called in sick the morning of the program? What if a manager looked forward to the program so that she could grow in her leadership position, but could not attend due to a family emergency? At Front Line Leadership, we believe in our program because we have seen the results. We have watched as leaders emerge fe...

Management styles of yore still lurk in the hallways of business big and small all around the world today. However, with Generation Y beginning to take a larger stake in those same businesses, it may be time for managers to take a look at those traditions and see how to make them work with Generation Y employees. Generation X and Boomers grew up in a world where they had to earn the right to be heard, respected, and valued. On the flip side, Generation Y has had a heard and valued voice from day...

In a simple black frame, on a shelf in my office sits a picture that never ceases to put a smile on my face. In it, 4 women stand side by side, faces full of toothy grins in front of my childhood home. From left to right stand a woman born in 1902, another in 1929, the third in 1957, and lastly, a gangly legged teen born in 1979. The not-quite-brown eyes and slightly oversized noses all share a similar stance and smile, but beyond that, the lives of these women share history and blood, but not m...

Workplace conflict is inevitable. Even in a business of one, you may have conflict with vendors, groups you outsource to, or even clients that you work with. At some point, there will be disagreements that need to be managed. And that is the key word, managing your conflict so that it can be overcome.

With job creation on the rise, the increased need for new managers follows. Unfortunately, in recent data collected by the Harvard Business Review, the average age of first-time managers is 30, while the average age managers are receiving leadership training is 42. This time gap can lead to workplace complications and a greater sense by employees that managers aren’t in tune with their staff and the best practices for the business.

That magical time of year is around the corner; the holidays. It can be a hectic time of year for everyone, managers included. Beyond juggling your own holiday happenings, you become a one-person act for juggling the holiday needs and stress of your entire team.

While conflict is inevitable, a good manager will know how to spot the signs of conflict before it gets out of hand and be well-versed in tools to combat and stop conflict in its tracks. As discussed in Part 1, there are four main types of conflict in the workplace. A good manager can learn to spot the tell-tale signs to determine if communication or personal value differences is the cause of a workplace conflict with some solid preparation. Once a manager can determine the type of conflict they...

Conflict is an unavoidable factor in any interpersonal relationship including business relationships. While it’s easy to see the negative aspects of conflict, there can be some constructive aspects as well. Before we can understand how to handle and resolve conflict, it’s important to understand the main causes so good managers can have potential areas of conflict on their radar to be addressed quickly and with a level of professionalism that leaves all involved feeling heard and valued while ...