What happens when conflict emerges around you? Do you avoid or ignore it or do you lean in? Regardless of the source or catalyst, the most effective leaders know that healthy acknowledgement and resolution of conflict is critical for them and their team to keep moving forward. When conflict emerges around you, have a hairpin trigger for acknowledgement and resolution. Lean in to understand the issues and seek to restore genuine peace. Do not let conflict fester or spread. Dealing with it may cost you some time and emotional energy, but both are less costly on the front end than the back.

There is a great book written by Stephen M.R. Covey, son of famed productivity author Stephen Covey, entitled The Speed of Trust. Covey argues that the lack of trust in business is extremely costly. All the due diligence, exhaustive contracts, monitoring and the like slows business down and increases costs. Alternatively, what if you trusted the person on the other side of the table? How much quicker and more easily could you do business? I wholeheartedly agree with Covey’s thesis. I do not suggest being naive, but I do advocate and practice aligning with customers, vendors and employees one can trust and stepping away from those one cannot. My strong conviction wasn’t birthed out of the book though. For me, the seed was planted many years ago when I was a young boy attentively observing my father conduct business. My father manages ranches raising registered cattle. He’s what people have…