Conflict is an inevitable part of business, but unresolved conflict can damage relationships, reduce productivity, weaken organizational culture, and hinder innovation. The most effective leaders do not avoid difficult conversations—they approach them with preparation, emotional intelligence, strategic communication, and a commitment to constructive outcomes. Whether addressing performance issues, negotiating competing priorities, managing organizational change, or resolving interpersonal disagreements, the ability to navigate conflict professionally is a defining characteristic of exceptional leadership.
Conflict Resolution & Difficult Conversations is a practical, executive-oriented course designed to equip Junior MBA students with the skills to manage conflict confidently and transform challenging interactions into opportunities for growth, collaboration, and organizational improvement. Rather than emphasizing legal disputes or theoretical conflict models, the course focuses on practical communication, emotional intelligence, negotiation, mediation, active listening, relationship management, organizational psychology, and executive leadership.
Students will explore the psychology of conflict, communication under pressure, trust restoration, difficult feedback, negotiation strategies, mediation techniques, cross-cultural conflict, crisis communication, power dynamics, organizational politics, artificial intelligence in communication, and leadership during high-stakes interactions. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on practical business application, preparing future leaders to build stronger organizations through courageous conversations and effective conflict management.
Course Objectives
By the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
• Understand the causes and dynamics of workplace conflict.
• Recognize conflict as an opportunity for organizational improvement and innovation.
• Conduct difficult conversations with professionalism and emotional intelligence.
• Apply active listening and empathy to reduce tension and build understanding.
• Deliver constructive feedback that promotes accountability and growth.
• Manage interpersonal and organizational conflict effectively.
• Negotiate collaborative solutions that strengthen long-term relationships.
• Restore trust following misunderstandings or disputes.
• Lead teams through conflict while maintaining morale and productivity.
• Build organizational cultures that encourage open communication and constructive disagreement.
