World's Greatest Business Thinkers #37: The Secret Power of Workplace Conflict (with Amy Gallo, Global Speaker, Author, and Contributing Editor at Harvard Business Review)
Conflict isn't the enemy; it's the path to stronger relationships.
In this episode of World's Greatest Business Thinkers, host Nick Hague sits down with Amy Gallo, Global Speaker, Author, and Contributing Editor at Harvard Business Review, to explore how to handle even the most difficult colleagues. Amy reveals the eight archetypes of toxic coworkers, why emotional regulation outperforms empathy, and how psychological safety fuels high-performing teams. Discover practical tools to navigate tension, transform workplace dynamics, and turn conflict into connection. Whether you manage teams or work within one, this conversation will reshape how you see disagreement and yourself.
What You Will Learn:
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Why emotional regulation trumps empathy in conflict resolution
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The eight archetypes of difficult coworkers and how to neutralize each one
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How to maintain trust and collaboration in remote and hybrid environments
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Why 82% of new managers fail without formal training
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The psychological safety framework that distinguishes healthy cultures from toxic ones
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How to reframe difficult conversations as relationship investments, not relationship threats
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The practical tactic for managing passive-aggressive behavior without escalation
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Why getting sleep before a difficult conversation matters more than resolving it
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How to identify if you're the difficult person in the conflict
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The strategic value of buying coffee for the colleague who irritates you
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Amy Gallo Bio:
Amy Gallo is an author, global speaker, and expert on workplace dynamics who helps professionals turn conflict into a force for good. She writes and speaks on communication, feedback, and gender dynamics, and is the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People). A former co-host of HBR's award-winning Women at Work podcast, Amy has spoken at SXSW, the World Economic Forum, Google, Adobe, and more. Learn more at amyegallo.com.
Quotes:
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"I really value the evidence and the research that shows what works and what doesn't. I also acknowledge that sometimes what works in research does not work in practice, in real life. But making that bridge is really what's important to me in everything I do."
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"Do I feel like I can speak up here? Do I feel like I can give feedback? For the most part, do you feel like you can speak up and say what's on your mind and offer new ideas and push back? To me, that's the most important thing when you're trying to determine the difference between a toxic culture and a healthy one."
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"I used to think the most important thing in dealing with conflict was empathy, but I've actually really come to believe it's emotional regulation. The more we can handle our own negative emotions and make good choices despite them, the more these conversations and relationships will grow stronger and the more resilient we will feel."
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"Promoting someone who doesn't have the skills to do the job and you're not gonna give them those skills creates a good amount of insecurity on their part. The research shows the exact opposite of what we assume—the more senior they get, the more insecure people feel. We are creating this gap, not just in skill, but also in confidence."
Episode Resources: