Book Review: Conflict and Leadership, by Christian Muntean

Sean Lord June 16, 2021

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If you have ever worked with people, you have experienced conflict. It's almost impossible to work alongside, with, or for someone and not bump heads or disagree on something.

Christian Muntean, author of Conflict and Leadership: How to Harness the Power of Conflict to Create Better Leaders and Build Thriving Teams,writes, "Conflict exists anytime there is a disagreement over something important to all sides." This isn't bad, it's expected and can be very helpful. Every leader needs to be able to navigate these moments in a healthy, uplifting way that strengths their entire team. Without this skill your organization will crumble; with this skill your team will be unstoppable.

There are helpful tools to overcome conflict, but no two situations are the same. Jesus, in a somewhat heated conversation with some religious leaders, showed that the two most important steps in anyone's life are to love and seek God, and to care for those around them (Matt. 22:36-40). The best approach in conflict, which Conflict and Leadershipshows very well, is for each person to seek to serve the other, and to be the best version of themselves.

Don't get me wrong, Muntean gives some great tools for anyone stepping into conflict with another person. He walks readers through a simple four-step process to planning for and stepping into resolution situations. This book isn't just for leaders—anyone can apply this method to grow in their communication and conflict resolution. The reality is, it isn't just leaders that step into these situations; we will all butt heads with someone at some point. Using this method will help you not only resolve an issue but also care for and serve the other person involved.

What sets this book apart from all other conflict strategies is its focus on the self. Conflict sparks from within each of us, and how we prepare and lead ourselves before, during, and after will determine how the conflict ends. The first step is always us. From here the next mindset shift is to serve the others involved.

Muntean presents three steps in shifting the conflict perspective to caring for others and seeing their perspective as valid. These steps are: trust, respect, and care. When we can do this, these seemingly intense moments no longer feel like emotional or personal combat, but simply two people doing life alongside each other.

This book is an absolute must-read for every leader, and anyone that works with other people. Conflict is going to happen. How you prepare will make the difference between a healthy organizational culture and an unhealthy one. Anyone looking to set themselves, their team, their family, or their organizational culture up for success will benefit from the leadership and experience shared in this book.

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Sean Lord is a pastor, husband, and father. He enjoys writing about leadership, theology, and ministry. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and currently pastors at one of the largest churches in the U.S. He spends much of his time mentoring and coaching pastors as well as leaders outside of the church. Learn More »

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