You don’t go to work to get sh-t thrown at you, at least metaphorically speaking, or to endure a climate of often fear, hatred or hostility. Conflict seems abound and it does not always ‘just’ come from the higher echelons. This book sets out to help resolve workplace conflicts, or at least manage them.

Conflict comes in all shapes and sizes and nobody will say, with truthful honesty, that all conflict can be avoided. Yet major disputes, conflicts and plain nastiness help nobody and if these can be removed then the workplace would be a much better place. Nirvana, perhaps, but you must try. This book is aimed at HR professionals to give them tools to identify and hopefully act on disputes, whether in the boardroom, general workplace or even with suppliers and customers. Naturally, other people could well benefit from looking at this book.

It is an interesting and helpful read, examining the issues of conflicts and the costs and problems that they create, before looking at practical ways to hopefully avoid this conflict and develop a working plan that may be implemented as a guide. Case studies help support the range of theory and practical advice provided. It is a book that you don’t want and wish was not needed, but you must accept reluctantly that it is necessary and can be a useful ally to have on your side.

The author comes with over 25 years of experience as a mediator and conflict management professional, so you can be sure that they have probably seen it all and know just how emotionally charged situations can become. A real battle veteran you could say. The result is this accessible, easy navigable and powerful reference work that is offered at a very low price. You would struggle to get even a few minutes of a professional consultant’s advice for this price!

If you must deal with this stuff for your job, it can be a goldmine. For the rest of us, it may just be a helpful aid to getting on with things and maybe it makes our own lives easier too. For those with slightly less ‘good behaviour’, if the message does get through maybe it even leads to a few sins being repented and a change for the better being implemented. Everyone may win!

Managing Conflict, written by David Liddle and published by Kogan Page. ISBN 9780749480882. YYYYY