CHAPTER 5

Difficult Conversations: Business Issues and Performance Discussions

Conflict as Opportunity: The Mantle of Leadership

Walking across the airport toward his departure gate, a man spots a familiar person out of the corner of his eye. On the other side of the large concourse, he sees his company’s vice president of human resources (HR). He changes course to greet the vice president when he is stopped in his tracks. A woman is sitting next to the vice president. She is a direct report to him, and they are being affectionate with each other in ways reserved for lovers. Not only are they both married to other people, but the vice president had recently hired the woman and moved her across the country to work in his office. The observer immediately ...

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